The Cowboy's Secret
by Dimensional Traveller
Summary: Andy Matthews is trying to escape from her past,she poses as a young boy as she runs from her brother's murderer. When the cowboys come to town she joins them. Her identity later becomes threatened when she grows feelings for the Gunslinger, Johnny Ringo.
1. Andy's Secret & Meet the Cowboys

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own Liberty Valance. I own Amy AKA 'Andy' and 'Kid', I also own Burney, Ted, Ms. Rathers, and Travis.**_

The evening sun cast eerie shadows on the ground in the small western town as a slight breeze blew; the heat of the summer was becoming less intense, a promise that fall was soon to arrive. The small town was quiet and for the most part uneventful.

21 year old Amy knew this for a fact, the cloth binds around her chest ached and stung as they dug into her skin. She ignored the pain as she carried a small but heavy crate filled with new shiny glass bottles of liquor for the saloon. Everyone in town knew her as Andy, a little kid without a home. Little did they know the little kid was really an adult woman running from her past.

"Evenin', Travis," she grunted to the bar keeper.

"Evenin', Andy, let me get that," the brawny bar keeper with the long and thick gray beard exclaimed.

"Naw, I got it," she replied, though her arms were beginning to shake from the strain of holding the heavy crate. Her shoulders ached, but she ignored the bothersome pain before setting the crate onto the floor beside the bar keeper.

"Anythin' else I can do?" She questioned, making sure to deepen her tone as much as possible without it sounding ridiculous. It had taken her nearly a month to find the right tone, but the time it took had only added to her story. All the townspeople were certain that 'little Andy was getting his voice.'

"Nothin' I can think of, you went to school today?"

"Erm...Yes, but Mrs. Maybelle kicked me out again, she said I was too smart," Andy smirked. She had an education from Boston and knew how to read and write. She knew the important events in history, though science and arithmetic had been difficult for her she passed with a low A.

"Well then, looks like yer gonna have to keep puttin' that education of yers to rest and just work hard like the rest of us....Pity that is," he commented.

"A lil hard work never heart anybody, and experience is the best teacher," she smiled.

"True," he replied then paused, "Ya best be goin' now."

Andy blinked, it was too early for anyone to come into the saloon right now, why was Travis kicking her out?

"Why?"

"Don't talk back to yer elders and do what your told," he practically snapped.

She quickly turned to leave, his sharp tone making her jump. Andy was nearly through the door when a cowboy dressed in a bright red shirt barreled past her, "Watch it, kid."

"Sorry, sir," she replied and waited for the large group to finish filing in through the door. The last person to enter was a cowboy that made her breath catch in her throat. She felt her cheeks begin to burn as she stared at him. He was taller than her, but not as tall as the cowboy in the red shirt. He was dressed in black and gray, a red sash around his waist. His dark eyes stared into her own. He smirked, obviously thinking she was terrified.

"What's wrong, kid, never see a cowboy before?"

"Uh....I have sir," She replied, "Just not one....So uh....Scary before."

"Leave the kid alone, Cowboy," Travis exclaimed, "You're here to drink, not terrorize. Andy, beat it."

She quickly ran out of the bar, her heart pounding. The night was becoming dark and the crickets had begun their tune, as the coyotes and wolves sang a mysterious song of their own.

"Andy Matthews, what are you doin' wanderin' around the night?" Scowled a tall blonde woman Andy recognized as Melinda Rathers. She was the town's 'Madame' and also very protective over children.

"Just finishing bringing some things to the saloon, Miss Rathers. Anythin' I can do to help ya?"

"What you can do is get back home, it's too lad for a lad like you to be out. I don't care if you do have your voice now, you're only a child."

"But I'm 14 now!" Andy argued, if only the blonde knew her true age.

"Don't argue with me, young man!"

"Yes, Miss Rathers," Andy sighed as she headed towards the town's inn. The room beside Old Christopher's had become hers as long as she continued to pay her rent on time.

"Andy, ain't it early for ya to be home?" Frowned the inn keeper, Burney Reynolds, Travis's grandfather.

"Yeah, but Miss Rathers would chase me in here with that parasol of hers if I didn't do what I was told," Andy replied.

Burney chuckled, "She's only lookin' out for ya, son. Go ahead and get to bed, I hear them cowboys will need some help tomorrow while they're here. You'll make some money, I want ya to be the first they hire. Go on now, bed."

She didn't argue as she climbed up the stairs to the second floor and walked into her tiny room. Once the door was locked and the curtains were closed she unbuttoned her shirt and untied the cloth bands from around her chest. She gave a sigh of relief once her restraints were gone.

A few minutes later she had changed into a knee length shirt that was baggy enough to hide all her curves. She never knew when she'd have to get up extremely early in the morning or late at night. There had been times in the last town she lived in her past had returned and she had to leave quickly. The townspeople in those towns had been shocked to learn that little Andy was really Amy, a strong minded woman from Boston.

She took her cap off and finger brushed her shoulder length hair. The town thought that Andy either had no hair or it was very short. She didn't have the heart to cut her curly bright red hair short, it was the only thing she had as a reminder of the past and of who she had once been. She reached onto the table beside her bed and tied her hair back into a braid and glanced at the mirror beside the bed.

No longer did the little boy with the big green eyes stare back at her. She now saw herself for she truly was: Amy Mattherson, a strong minded but scared woman running from her brother's murderer. She small, her face was cherubic and pale with pink cheeks. When she could still wear dresses her brother would always chuckle and say she looked like a small porcelain doll.

Andy shrugged the memories away, she was Andy Matthews now. A child who had lost his parents in Kansas from a dust storm that had spread fire across their tiny farm. Although small with a hard past he was a smart kid willing to do any work that came his way. Andy had lived in the small town of Lawless for nearly two years ago and still remained shocked that no one had discovered her secret.

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A small ray of soft sunlight cased over Andy's closed eyes, causing her to moan and turn over onto her side towards the door. When she had gotten snuggled into the sheets and nearly asleep again someone began to pound heavily on her door.

"Andy! Get up! Mornin's here and the cowboys are up and they need help. C'mon one of 'um personally asked for ya! Don't dawdle, time is money!" Burney shouted.

"I'm up, I'm up already," She muttered.

"Huh? It's that a girl's voice I hear in there? Andy whose in there with ya?"

Andy gasped, she had forgotten to lower her voice! The door knob began to rattle and shake and she found herself glad she locked her door. She jumped on pulled on her trousers and snapped the suspenders over her shoulders, "Hold on, Burney, I'm comin'!"

"Open this door now, Andy! Yer too young to have a girl in there with ya!"

"There ain't no girl!"

"I heard a girl's voice, Andy who is in there with ya? Don't make me ask again or I'll throw ya out on the streets so fast yer head will spin!"

After hopping around on each foot as she got her shoes on she scampered to the door and unlocked it before swinging it open. Burney shoved past her and began to look under her bed and in the tiny chest at her bed which was bare except for other change of clothing.

"Andy, what is goin' on here?" He growled, "I heard a girl's voice," he turned towards the window and frowned at finding it tightly closed and locked.

"I just woke up and my voice was squeaky," Andy replied, fear twisting in her stomach. Oh please don't find out I'm not a boy, just go! Please! She mentally begged the old man. It was then she realized she had forgotten to tie the cloth strips around her chest, she quickly moved her suspenders so one was on her shoulder while the other hung down her left hip.

"Alright, sorry for jumpin' ta conclusions, ya ready?"

"Not yet, gotta take a leak," Andy replied.

"Oh," Burney replied before quickly walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

Andy waited for a long moment before giving a sigh of relief. She grabbed the cloth strips and tucked them into her pants pocket before quickly walking to the outside. She shrugged out of her suspender and quickly unbuttoned the shirt and tightly wrapped the cloth around her chest. When she was buttoning up her shirt the door opened and the cowboy dressed in black and gray stared at her.

"Well, yer just everywhere aren't ya?"

She yelped and spun around, her shirt was only halfway buttoned.

The cowboy began to laugh hysterically, "For a little boy you sure act like a girl."

"I do not!" She replied, "I'm just....Shy."

"Shy, of course," the cowboy replied sarcastically.

Andy wasn't sure what to do part of her wanted to run, the other part wanted to slug this jerk so hard she left a nice bruise behind. However she turned, her eyes widened in horror. The cowboy was relieving himself in front of her. Then again, he was convinced that Andy was a he.

She quickly walked out the door, blushing hard and headed towards the stables where the cowboys were getting their horses. She paused near barrel of water that was used to clean hands with and quickly dunked her hands in, she shook the water off as she continued towards the cowboys.

"Hi, I understand you have work for me," she said to the cowboy in red.

He glanced up at her, "The Kid again? Naw, Kid, I didn't ask for ya, Ringo did. See that brown horse with the white streak down the front of its head over there? It's his, go wait by it."

She nodded before walking towards the horse, cowboys passed by her, most completely ignoring her. But one, an older cowboy with gray hair and a gray beard that looked like it needed to be washed, walked towards her.

"Who are ya?"

"Andy Matthews, sir," she replied, "I was told to wait here until the owner of the horse arrived."

"Ike Clanton," the man greeted, "Yer awful young to be workin' and on yer own. Where are yer parents?"

"Died 5 years ago, sir. Dirt Devil in Kansas spread fire all round our small farm. I got out but ma and pa didn't," she replied as she cast her eyes to the ground, "I tried to get them out but....The fire was just too big."

"Ain't yer fault, son, you tried," the man replied, his cold blue eyes hid his emotions, "I lost my wife a few years ago, though my sons here with me." He paused, "You got anyone who cares for ya?"

Andy paused, he knew he had just answered that question, but shook his head no.

Ike paused, "Well that might be changin', my son was about yer age when he put on his sash. Ain't nobody gonna mess with a cowboy. I'll talk to Curly Bill and Ringo and you'll be ridin' with us."

"Thanks, sir..." She replied unsure of how to tell the old cowboy that she had no idea how to ride a horse.

"Well, I see ya didn't run off somewhere," the cowboy dressed in black exclaimed as he sauntered over to her, "Names Johnny Ringo."

"Andy Matthews," she replied as she shook his hand. His dark eyes scanned up and down her form, she tried not to blush but failed miserably.

"Well girly boy you know where there's a blacksmith?" he questioned.

"The names Andy and I ain't no girly boy," Andy replied in anger.

Ringo stared at her and for a moment she wished she could have taken those angry words back. Her temper was going to get her killed. To her surprise the corners of his mouth began to twitch before he began to laugh.

"You got moxie, Kid," he smirked, "So where's that blacksmith?"

"Over this way, his name is Theodore, but he likes bein' called Ted," Andy replied as she led Ringo through the streets and to the blacksmith who warily eyed the cowboy.

"Andy how'd you meet this man?" The tall and muscular man questioned as he stepped between Andy and Ringo.

"I'm workin' for him right now, Ted," she replied.

Ted stared at Ringo before glancing at her, his brown eyes flashed with the intelligence that his face didn't show. His face was like a long oval, his cheeks were round. His nose was large and stubby, he didn't have a mustache but he had a large brown beard around his face that met with his sideburns.

After Ringo told the blacksmith what to do with his horse he walked out, obviously expecting Andy to follow.

"Andy, ya be careful ya hear?" Ted asked, "That man's dangerous, you know who he is?"

"Just a cowboy like every other man here," she shrugged.

"No, he's a _Cowboy_."

She stared at Ted, confused, hadn't she just said that?

Ted shook his head and muttered a curse, "Look the Cowboys are a band of bad men who go round shootin' people, they don't believe in now law. If they get sick of ya or they just want ya out of the way they'll shoot ya. Ya get your pay and ya get the hell away from them, you hear me? And that man there, he's Johnny Ringo, the second in command of that group. You don't want nothin' to do with him, he's a crazy gunslinger."

"He's payin me," she shrugged.

"I don't care, you find work with another Cowboy if you want, but ya stay away from the likes of him."

Andy watched the blacksmith turn away from her, she shrugged and walked out. She jumped and found Ringo leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a small smirk on his face.

"So he told ya of my reputation," he exclaimed, he looked towards the door and raised his voice, "I only shoot nosy blacksmiths who go 'round spreadin' rumors."

Andy stared at him and began to feel extremely uncomfortable, the fact he was a gunslinger unnerved her, but the fact he killed people without reason terrified her.

"I think I should be -"

"Oh, don't you start that now, girly-boy," Ringo scolded, "Don't let that blacksmith scare ya. He doesn't know anythin' about me or the Cowboys. We don't believe in the law because we are the law. We take care of each other. Now while ya were talkin' to Ted in there Ike came by and told me about ya, so I'm givin' you the option: you want a permanent place to stay that will be safe with us, and you'll have a family...Or you wanna stay in this old mining town that's dyin?"

"It ain't dyin," Andy replied.

Ringo rolled his eyes, "Look around, there's only forty people in this town, it's dyin, Kid. Yer gonna be livin' in a ghost town if ya stay much longer. So what will be it, safety and family, or alone in a ghost town?"

Andy stared at him, the offer was extremely tempting. The man who shot her brother and swore he'd kill her would never raise his pistol to a Cowboy, or would he? But if he did find her and try to shoot her the cowboys would shoot him first. After all the name Liberty Valance meant nothing to them. She would be safe, but at the same time she'd be letting down the people she came to know as friends.

"The clocks tickin' kid, make up yer mind already," Ringo exclaimed.

She glanced at him, then glanced at the inn where she had been living. She had grown closest to Burney and Travis at the Saloon, but if they ever discovered she was a grown woman they'd feel embarrassed and betrayed. They'd never speak to her again.

She nodded, "Alright, I'm in."

"Welcome to your new home then, Kid," Ringo exclaimed as he threw her a sash, "Tie that around yer waist. You know how to shoot a gun?"

"No."

Ringo laughed, "Course not, you know how to ride a horse?"

Again, she shook her head no.

"How can ya live in the West and not know how ta ride a horse?" Ringo asked.

"I dunno," she replied.

"You sure ya lived on a farm, Kid?" He asked as he eyed her once again, "Cause every farm boy or girl knows how ta ride a horse."

"My parents were over protective," she replied.

"Musta been, c'mere," he exclaimed as he led her towards Ike and another cowboy who wore the same clothing as his father. She guessed that was Ike's son.

"Ike, Andy here don't know how to ride...Can ya teach her? I gotta get ta the saloon and talk with Bill."

Ike nodded and the younger man stared at her astounded

"Ya don't know how to ride a horse?" He asked.

"Billy," Ike snapped, "Billy's got loose lips and don't always think before he says."

Billy scowled, "Somethin' I get from my old man."

Ike glared at him before he looked at Andy again, "Yer names Amnda?"

She tensed, "No, it's Andy, sir."

"Don't call me, sir, it's Ike," he exclaimed, "Yer one of us now. Now climb onto this here horse, her names Maybelle."

Andy walked over and stroked the horse's neck, "Hello, Maybelle," she greeted. The horse snorted before shaking its head from side to side.  
Andy bit her lip and put her foot into the loophole on the saddle. The saddle began to slide over causing her to fall to the ground. Ike and Billy both began to laugh before Billy fixed the saddle.

"Look here," Ike exclaimed a minute later, you put your foot into the stirrup and put your hand onto the side of the horse's neck. Now don't go grippin' the hair, just hold on, ya won't fall, lift yerself onto the saddle." He demonstrated before climbing down, "Now you try."

Andy nodded and put her right root into the stirrup. She pulled herself up onto the horse and held onto the saddle horn for dear life.

"Now we're gonna start you off at a walk," Ike exclaimed, "You'll need to be ridin' by tonight 'cause that's when we leave."

"He ain't got guns," Billy exclaimed.

"Well, he'll get one but that will hafta wait 'till Curly Bill or Ringo teaches him how ta shoot. I ain't losin' one of my important parts," Ike exclaimed before grabbing the reigns and walking the length of the short street up and down four times before he turned to Andy.

"Now, take the reigns, when ya want the horse to go you jam yer heels into its side and flick the reigns. Now don't go off jammin' that poor beast too hard, ya just need a tap, horses are sensitive creatures."

Andy flicked the reigns, the horse did nothing. Ike waited.

She realized she had it backwards, she tapped her heels into the horse's side gently and it began to walk forward.

"If ya want her to go left tug the reigns to the left, if ya want it to go right tug the reigns to the right," Ike instructed.

Before an hour was up she was able to right Maybelle at a trot. After another hour she found herself being able to slide down off the horse and climb back down as if she had done it all her life. However when Ike slapped the horse's behind and it took off running she screamed her head off. Her heart pounded in terror as she clutched the reigns and shouted at the creature to stop. It obviously took her yell the wrong way and ran faster, she cried out in terror.

Suddenly Ringo's horse was riding beside Ike's and Ringo was reaching for the reigns. He grabbed hold of the leather and slowed his horse down, forcing Maybelle to slow down with them. After a long minute the two horses came to a stand still.

"Well that was mighty interestin'," Ringo smirked, "Ya scream like a girl, I heard ya all the way in the saloon."

Andy's heart pounded as she reached up and pulled her hat down back fully onto her head. She was glad it hadn't fallen off. If the Cowboys saw her hair they'd put together that her face wasn't one of a child but of a woman. She couldn't and wouldn't have that.

"I do not, I was scared!"

Ringo laughed again before slapping her back so hard it stung, "Ya know, Kid yer a comedy show that could outdo the Birdcage Theatre's shows any day!"

"It's my speciality," she muttered in sarcasm, causing Ringo to laugh again.

Ike ran over, "Maybelle ok?"

"Maybelle's fine, Ike," Ringo replied, "However Kid ain't."

"My names Andy," Andy replied.

"Not anymore it ain't," Ike replied, "Ya should feel honored that it was one of our leaders that nicknamed ya and not one of us."

"And be glad I didn't decide to call ya Girly-Boy, Kid," Ringo smirked, laughter shining in his eyes.

Andy glanced away and looked up at seeing the cowboy in the red shirt walking over.

"I take it you've never ridden in a day in yer life," the cowboy smirked before laughing.

Andy blushed hard, did they really have to rub that in? Yet she was going to be surrounded by men from now on, so she figured she had best get used to it. Then another thought hit her, a thought that made her heart skip a beat. What would she do when she had to relieve herself and they weren't anywhere near a town? Fear caused her throat to tighten.

"Kid looks like she's seen a ghost," The cowboy exclaimed, "What's wrong with ya Kid?"

"The boy's father didn't do a good raisin' him is what," Ringo exclaimed, "His ma raised him, he's too female."

"Now you ain't a woman now are ya?"

"NO!" Andy snapped at the cowboy.

The cowboy laughed, "The names Curly Bill Brocious," he exclaimed.

"Andy Matthews," she replied.

"Now, Kid, I've seen a lotta strange things in my time, but may I ask why ya have cloth wrapped around yer chest?" Bill questioned.

Andy gasped and looked down to see a few of her shirt's buttons had popped off. The shirt was old and nearly threadbare, she had been hoping to get at least another week or two out of it. Enough time to replace it since her other shirt was in no better condition.

She had to come up with a good story and quick! But what? Then it hit her, when she was a child she had met one of her brother's friends who had back aches for apparent reasons and he tied cloth up and down certain parts of his back. He swore it took the pain away.

"They're for my back," she replied quickly, "My back aches for no reason a lotta times, there ain't nothin' wrong with it....It just aches. The cloth helps."

Ringo looked her up and down, "I dunno, Bill," he smirked, "I get since he's young he's short but ain't his hips a bit...Round to ya?"

Andy tensed, fear entered her eyes.

Suddenly the small group of cowboys around her began laughing.

"We're just playin' with ya, Kid, don't take things so damned literal," Curly Bill exclaimed as he slapped her shoulder. "Let's get some better clothes on this kid, his are about ta fall off and I don't wanna be 'round to see that!"

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It was near the end of the day and Andy found himself having a new pair of clothes and an extra set in her saddle bag. She had her own horse she had named Storm since he was black as night and his eyes flashed in anger whenever anyone else besides her got around him. The stable keeper, Lucas, had tried to keep her away from the horse in fear it would kill her. What he didn't know was that since the day he had gotten the horse as a young fowl she had come in to feed it and speak with it.

She soon also had her own gun belt, though it was empty. While they traveled to the next town Ringo and Bill both agreed to take turns teaching 'him' how to shoot. When both were convinced she was ready for her own guns they'd go into a local gunsmith's in a town called Tombstone and buy her ones like theirs.

And even though she was now an outlaw she was strangely happy and found herself in a place that she finally belonged in. She just hoped and prayed she could keep her secret and they'd never find out her true identity, though she was almost certain Ringo knew from the way he was always teasing her and calling her 'girly boy.'

"Kid, saddle up, we're leavin!" Ringo exclaimed as he climbed atop his horse, "Ride between Ike and myself," he called out.

She nodded and slipped on the heavy riding gloves Ike had given her, they were his old pair. She grabbed her reigns and waited for the other cowboys to go before she gently tapped her heels into Storm's sides and flicked the reigns. Part of her cursed the spurs on her heels. They had to cause pain for the horse. She tried to only use the part of her heels that didn't have spurs so she didn't harm the horse who had become her closest friend during the last two years. Storm walked between Ringo and Ike before all the horses took off at a run.

Storm and Andy easily kept up, as they left the town a large smile crossed her face. Andy was finally leaving her past behind.


	2. Boarding House & Ringo the big brother?

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own the town of Shinbone, Tom, or Liberty Valance, their characters in the movie "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." **_

A slight breeze blew past the large group of cowboys as they rode through the Arizona desert, off in the distance a lone coyote gave a mournful cry to the moon. Ringo was used to the familiar noises that were usually drowned out by the loud stamping of hooves. He glanced beside him to find the young boy they had recruited earlier that day clutching to the reigns of his black horse, Storm.

One thing Ringo had to admit, this kid had moxie, even though he was a sissy-boy. Then again the kid had been living on his own for a while and the town had been watching over him. The kid, Andy, probably had no clue of just how protective the townspeople were of him. It had been pulling teeth just to get the old man in the boarding room to send the message on up to the teenager that a Cowboy had requested his help. Hell, the town's madame had even been giving them trouble. He shuddered at the memory, that woman was a hell cat who spit fire, when she saw Andy with a red sash on she had gotten up into both Ringo and Bill's faces. She swore that no matter where they went her men would find them and she would make sure that the two men were killed for attempting to corrupt such a sweet and innocent boy.

Bill had tried to explain that they weren't corrupting the kid, they were giving him a family. The madame had scoffed and commented that "Little Andy has a home and family here. Why would he need you?"

The kid obviously hadn't known how difficult had been getting him out of the town, while Ike had been teaching him how to care for one's horse and saddle Bill and Ringo had sent out a few cowboys to make sure the madame and other troublesome townsfolk were terrified into staying in their homes and businesses.

"Hey, Kid, you doin' alright?" He called over to the teen.

"I'm fine," Andy replied, though from the wince on his face when he bounced in the horse's saddle Ringo knew this statement to be a lie. There was a lot this kid was going to have to learn and quick, a few of the cowboys had complained that they didn't want a child hanging around, too much responsibility. But Johnny saw something in this kid: he was tough, a fighter, and he had what it took to be a cowboy. Plus, he was smart, which was something the cowboys were in need of....Men with brains. He just hoped that fancy education of the Kid's didn't interfere with his work for the Cowboys.

"Hey Ringo," Curly Bill called out to him as the horses slowed to a trot. Johnny watched with a frown as Storm ran past.

"Hey, Kid! Tug your horses reigns we're slowing down to the animals a break!" He shouted out to Andy.

"I'm trying!" The poor kid shouted back as he tugged on the reigns, he was already a good few feet ahead of them.

"Ya forgot to say 'whoa'!" Curly Bill shouted, when Andy tried this the horse stopped so quickly the poor kid was thrown from the saddle and over his horse's head. He rolled at least a good foot before coming to a stop, when the dust settled a wide eyed teenager stared at the group of Cowboys. The look was one of surprise mixed with fear.

Ringo snorted before pulling the brim of his hat down to hide the large grin on his face, around him the Cowboys were laughing hysterically.

"Not funny," Andy growled as he stood and dusted his pants and shirt off. When he reached up for his hat to find it gone his eyes widened.

"Where's my damned hat?" He questioned.

"Did ya check under your horse's behind?" Laughed a Cowboy by the name of Big John due to the fact the man was an utter giant.

The kid scowled up at him but turned away. Ringo frowned. Why wasn't he giving some kind of comeback? He wasn't going to be accepted if he continued being such a girly-boy. As the horses trotted past Andy Big John gave a hoot as his horse stepped on the boy's hat.

Johnny Ringo was about to snap at the large Cowboy to quit his damned foolish antics and help the kid. But he watched in amazement as the boy grabbed his hat and punched his fist into the crown of the hat and placed it back upon his hand.

Andy climbed atop his horse and gently hit the sides of the creature with the sides of his boots. Storm took off running, Ringo watched in interest. He wasn't going to coddle this kid, he needed to learn from experience of what and what not to do.

"What's he doin'?" Bill questioned as they glanced backwards at Big John and Andy.

"No idea, but I ain't stopping him," Johnny replied.

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Andy's blood boiled within her, anger caused her to see red. She had enough on her plate without this giant jerk coming in and deciding to be her own personal bully. Oh no, she had a bully on her tail named Liberty Valance, she wasn't about to start attracting more!

"Hey you," she called to the giant.

"Whaddaya want?" The tall cowboy sneered, attempting to look ferocious by bearing his teeth. However, the sight was a bit too amusing to be terrifying, his teeth were stained yellow and at least four of his front teeth were missing. His face had a shadow of whiskers with a small mustache growing on his upper lip. His blonde hair looked brownish due to the dirt and dust within it.

"Just to ask if you want any help removing your foot from your mouth," she replied. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when the cowboy turned his horse around quickly. Big John glared at her, anger shining in his beady brown eyes. Andy remembered what her brother used to do when he fought with his childhood friends.

"Oh what, gonna call me another name or perhaps smack me around a little?" She questioned, knowing she was going to have to act like a man if she ever wanted to be accepted by all the cowboys. She also was tired of Ringo calling her 'girly-boy' and 'sissy-boy.'

She knew she was being stupid by picking a fight with someone way larger than she was. But before her brother, Andrew's murder he had taught her enough about fighting that she was able to make it on her own in fights. She just hoped she could use this trick of his so she never had to lift a fist. Because she'd lost this fight if this trick didn't work.

Big John charged at her, she waited patiently and had to stroke Storm's neck and say soft words to him before John came close enough to rip her head off. She ducked then grabbed hold of his shirt, his horse ran past but he fell off.

"What kinda cheap stunt was that?" The giant growled in anger.

"Well, I thought I needed company down there. I figured since I landed on the ground someone else should be down to my level," Andy replied with a shrug.

She was expecting Big John to spit at her, or send a fist flying her way, instead a large smile stretched over his lips as he stood and slapped her on the back. She hid the wince of pain.

"Well, Kid, you ain't so bad after all," the large cowboy laughed.

A large and proud smile stretched over her lips as Big John watched his horse run off.

"Climb on," Andy invited.

"Ya sure?"

"Yeah," Andy replied, "Let's get your horse back, shall we?"

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It was hours later when Andy walked into the lobby of the boarding house with the large group of Cowboys. Her back ached, the strips of cloth were soaked with sweat and were beginning to scratch her skin. Her legs ached and she couldn't pull them together, and she was certain she would not be sitting down anywhere for a long time. Her bum ached worse than when her mama spanked it when she was young.

A young couple sat behind a large wooden desk shaped like a square, their eyes were wide as they stared at the group of men coming towards them. Both their faces paled when they noticed the sashes around the men's waists.

"H-How can we h-help you s-sirs?" The young man questioned, he reminded Andy of a banker with the way he was dressed.

"We need all yer rooms," Curly Bill replied.

"F-For how long, sirs?" Stammered the young woman as she took a step back, fear apparent on her face.

"Well, what's the name of this here town?"

"Saw Dust, Arizona, sirs," replied the man.

"Saw Dust," Curly Bill muttered.

"Close to the Mexican border," Ringo muttered.

"Good, that's real good," Bill exclaimed, "Make that a week, you'll know if we stay longer or not." He dropped a silver coin onto the desk before holding out his hand and a key was dropped into his hand. Each cowboy followed this example and soon Andy found herself holding a room key.

She stared at her key, it had lost its shiny gleam that new keys had, obviously it had been used for years. The leather key tag hanging from it had the number 210. She walked quickly to the room and pushed the key into the lock. She frowned when it refused to turn. After attempting to pull it out of the door a few times, and making the door jiggle, she heard a few Cowboys around her snickering. Growling she put all her strength into pushing the key into the lock again and twisting it, a moment later a loud click alerted her that the door was finally unlocked.

Thank God!

She swung open the door and ran inside, the room was cozy but nice. She was surprised to learn that the boarding house had its own indoor plumbing and its own toilets. She had heard of many buildings having such technology but never had she seen it herself. After looking around the room she did a double take at the bed: it was a bunk bed.

The door began to jiggle and shake, a moment later the door gave another loud click. When the door opened Johnny Ringo stood in the hallway. She groaned, this night was not going well for her.

"Ringo?" She asked, surprised.

"Looks like we're sharin' a room," he commented as he sauntered in, leaving the door gaping open.

"Geesh, thanks a lot for closin' the door," Andy muttered, "I gotta use the lavatory."

"Huh?" Ringo asked.

"Privvy, outhouse," she exclaimed, trying hard not to blush.

"Oh, well I don't wanna know that sissy-"

"Don't call me that, so help me I will rip that mustache off your face and feed it to ya," Andy exclaimed, she had enough with the name calling!

Ringo smirked, "As ya wish," he commented.

She walked into the hallway, but made sure to shove the room key into her pants pocket. She wasn't about to leave the key in the room and have Ringo play a prank on her by holding the door shut. It took a few inutes but she did find the lavatory, she did her business before untucking her shirt and quickly unbuttoned it.

Andy gave a hiss and wince as she untied and peeled the wet cloth off. Her skin was red from being rubbed raw, it ached and stung whenever she attempted to touch it.

She licked her lips. She was going to have to do something else to hide her upper curves, but what? Then again Ringo had noticed her hips curves earlier.

The door handle jiggled.

"Uh....Someone's in here," Andy exclaimed, lowering her voice.

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry sir," the woman from the front desk exclaimed.

Andy opened the door a crack, "Could you help me?" She asked in her normal tone of voice.

The woman's bright blue eyes widened, "Dear Lord! You're a woman!"

"Shh! Please, if they find out....I don't know what they'll do and you can't tell anyone, I have a real guy after me." Andy hissed.

"Alright, press against the wall," she whispered, when Andy did the other woman quickly stepped in and shut the door behind her. "My goodness, what happened to your skin?"

"The cloth I was using...." Andy frowned as she held it up, "I can't wear it anymore and I don't have anything to cut up."

"Hmmm...I know a woman once who was on the run as well and had a problem like this....Dear or dear what did she use to make herself look male?" She frowned as she paced, she twirled a strand of her blonde hair around her finger.

"Ah! I remember, she cut a bodice and used it to bind her chest," the woman exclaimed, "I have a spare, stay here."

Andy nodded and watched as the woman quickly scurried out. She waited, her heart pounded with fear, she hoped none of the Cowboys needed the lavatory.

A small knock on the door startled her.

"It's me," exclaimed the woman before she slipped in, "Sorry it took me so long, it's rather hard to cut this in the dark and not have my husband ask questions. I do hope this will work, it should be good to sleep in too. I relaced it so you can tie in front now."

"Thank you so much," Andy beamed.

"Put on your under shirt," the woman exclaimed.

Andy did so, the woman then helped her into the cut bodice and tied it tightly for her. After a giant thank you she went back to her room, after another struggle with the door she got in and frowned at finding Ringo on the bottom bunk, her bed.

"Well, I thought ya got washed down the drain," Ringo exclaimed.

"Uh...Button problem," she lied before realizing she had taken her hat off.

Ringo looked over at her and raised an eyebrow, "Awfully long hair for a kid," he commented, "Makes ya look like a girl."

"My ma liked men having long hair," Andy retorted, "She said it was good luck."

"Looks stupid on men, 'specially on kids," Ringo replied as he stood and reached into his boot.

Andy's heart leapt into her throat when he took out a long and shiny knife, she began to throw her arms over herself protectively.

"I ain't gonna hurt ya, I'm givin' ya a well needed hair cut."

"Don't, c'mon, please don't..."

"Listen, ya think Big John was hard on you earlier? Yer gonna be called worse than girly-boy and sissy-boy if you don't cut that hair. It makes ya look like a girl, unless that's what ya want."

"NO!" Andy snapped.

"Well, then, hold still," he exclaimed before gathering any loose hair that had fallen from the braid. She shut her eyes when she felt the tugs on her hair, from the corner of her eye she could see his arm quickly sawing through her hair. Tears began to well in her eyes, she bit her lip and blinked them away. A moment later Ringo handed her the braid.

"Finished," he commented.

She stared down at her hair and a stab of pain hit her hard in the chest. She knew she could grow her hair out again once she was finished running from Liberty Valance. She put it onto the nightstand before climbing up onto the top bunk bed, now thankful he had taken the bottom one.

She heard him blow out the oil lantern that sat on a small table at the head of the bed.

"Night, Kid," Ringo exclaimed.

"Night, Ringo," Andy replied, attempting to keep her voice from shaking.

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_Happiness filled her chest as she gripped hold of her handbag. She was going to see her brother, Andrew again. Pride filled her chest, he was the Sheriff if Shinbone, a small town tucked away close to the Mexican border. She looked out the window of her stage coach and saw her brother standing in middle of the streets, why was he holding his gun?_

_She followed the barrel of the gun over to the reason, a tall gunslinger she recognized from newspapers named Liberty Valance stood in the street. Her heart dropped, no! A duel! She had to stop them! _

_"Stop the coach! Stop the coach!" She cried, her voice lighter being she was only sixteen._

_"Woaah!" Exclaimed the stagecoach driver as the horses came to a slow stop._

_She opened the door and ran out of the coach, "Andrew!" She cried out, "Andrew, don't!"_

_He glanced over at her, "Amy, get back into that damned coach right now! Get back in there!"_

_He turned to face his shooter and she watched in horror as Liberty shot him. She ran towards the gunslinger and hit him hard enough to make his nose bleed._

_"You coward! He wasn't ready! You coward!" She shrieked._

_"No one calls Liberty Valance a coward and lives to tell the tale," he growled as his eyes narrowed. Her heart pounded as he raised his gun, she turned and ran in terror towards the coach, which was already rolling away._

_"Let me back in!" She shrieked._

_"No way, lady! That there's Liberty Valance chasin' after you! We ain't losin' our necks because of yer stupidity!" Shouted one of the drivers. She watched as the coach left, taking with it all her belongings._

_"Leave her be, Liberty!" Shouted a new voice, she turned and saw another tall cowboy._

_"Stay out of this, Tom," Liberty sneered._

_"She's a child, you just killed her brother how was she supposed to react?" Tom questioned, his hand hovering over his pistol._

_Liberty snarled and began to walk away, he turned and glared at her, "You had best be outta this town and across the country tomorrow. Make my search good, mark my words I will kill you."_

_She watched him go before she paled and turned, people were standing around her brother's body gasping as they stared down at him in terror. Andrew...._

_"Andrew!" She shouted as she ran to him, his red hair matched the color of the blood flowing from his chest wound. No! Please God no! "Andrew," She cried as she knelt at his side. She shook him._

_His blue lifeless eyes stared up at her, the eyes that twinkled with laughter so often now were glazed over in a forced silence._

_"Andrew.....Andrew!" _

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"ANDREW!"

Ringo jumped from his sleep and rubbed his eyes, what the hell?! He had been having a nice dream about finding the killer of two Cowboys and shootin' him. Then the name 'Andrew' had begun to echo around his head before finally it acted as a damned cow bell and awakened him.

"Andrew!"

He climbed down and shook the boy.

"Andrew," He exclaimed again as his eyes flew open. Ringo blinked, he had never noticed how green this boy's eyes were before. Andy stared at him as if he was a boogey man before biting his lip.

"Whose Andrew?"

"No one," The teen replied.

"Liar," Ringo replied, "Who is Andrew?"

The boy bit his lip, "My older brother...He was shot and murdered by Liberty Valance."

Ringo paused, "Valance is a bad one.....I'm sorry. I know what it's like to lose a brother, we lost two Cowboys the other day to some Mexican who thought he was better than us."

"I'm sorry," the Kid muttered.

"Ain't yer fault," Ringo replied, "It's his. Like yer brother's death is Valance's. What did yer brother do to get shot?"

"He was the Sheriff of Shinbone when I was si---uh---10. I was comin' home from the school he sent me too and....The stagecoach arrived in time for me to see him beginnin' ta duel with Liberty. After Liberty shot him I punched that damned gunslinger so hard his nose bled, I called him a coward. A fellow named Tom saved my life." He paused, his hands were shaking as he twisted his fingers, "Liberty told me to get outta town and far away because he was going to kill me, he'd find me and shoot me."

"Yer with us now, and if that bastard even lifts a finger either you'll shoot him, or one of us will," Ringo replied, "I'd like ta duel with him," he smirked, "I'm the fastest draw and deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill ya know."

"I know," the kid smiled, "I know, which makes me feel safer."

"Well ya shouldn't have ta depend on me all the time for your personal safety and you ain't. First thing after breakfast I'm gonna teach ya how to shoot, then Bill and I will take ya to the gunsmith's, get ya yer own gun. I'll work with ya until you can shoot so fast Liberty won't know what hit him."

"Really?" The kid asked, his face brightening, eyes shining.

"Really," Ringo smiled and stiffened when the boy hugged him. "Alright, let go."

"Sorry," Andy replied, "You uh...Remind me of my brother and my pa, guess I got carried away," he shrugged.

"Well I'd be honored if ya think of as a brother, ya need ta think of all of us as brothers. We're yer family now," he smiled as he slapped the kid's back.

"I know and I'm grateful."

"Stop the girly talk," Ringo warned, "Say...Yer mighty glad from now on."

"I'm mighty glad," he repeated.

"Great, now get back up there and go to sleep," Ringo exclaimed, watching as the boy stood and climbed up onto his bunk. He snorted and lied back down, who knew being a big brother was so much work?


	3. Learning to Shoot & Ike's Secret

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own Liberty Valance. I own Andy 'Kid' Matthews, Aggie, and Sally.**_

_**(A/N: The Fanfiction Trailer for "The Cowboy's Secret" is now up on youtube. You can either go to my profile to get the link or go to youtube and type in DimensionalTraveller in the search box. :) )**_

The afternoon sun made the town of Axle look different in the daytime. At night it was eerie almost resembled a ghost town. Now the streets were filled with people going about their daily routines, however one street of Axle had been barred off by the Cowboys. The large group of men were watching their youngest member learn to shoot a gun, laughter rang out at times.

Andy narrowed her eyes.

"Quit that!" Ringo snapped for the third time, "You're tryin' to aim ta shoot something, not make yerself see double."

"You told me to straighten my eyes along the barrel of the gun!" Andy replied, exasperated.

"Yeah, you need to straighten them, but not at the barrel of yer gun, at your target. You're using the top of the barrel here," he said as he traced his finger along the top of the barrel of his second gun, "to keep a good line of sight of where your bullet is headed to."

"Can I try again now?" Andy questioned.

"Not until Ike recovers," Ringo replied with a growing smirk, he looked over at the older Cowboy.

Ike was leaning against a hitching rail and mumbling that he didn't get any satisfaction or respect from any of the Cowboys; and now their youngest member was attempting murder him without reason.

"Ike, I'm sorry," Andy called out again.

"Yer sorry?" The bearded man guffawed, "Sorry? Tell that to my hat!" He replied as he held up his hat, revealing a bullet hole that had traveled through the very top. The bullet had barely missing the top of his head.

"Ike, I wasn't trying to kill you....I'm so sorry-"

Curly Bill erupted into another bout of loud and heavy laughter in front of the boarding house. He slapped his hat against his knee before he stood from the rocking chair he had been sitting in.

"Kid," he exclaimed, "Ike's just sore," he snickered, "He'll get on over it. Billy's first shot was worse than that, hell he shot some guy's toe off. Just listen to Ringo and do what he tells ya and for Pete's sake don't let go of the gun this time!"

Andy nodded, glad the heat of the day masked the fact she was blushing.

"Alright then," Ringo exclaimed, "Now look none of this one handed business, not until ya get better at shootin'," he exclaimed, "Now lift your hand."

Andy did so.

"Now train your eyesight to that barrel," he instructed.

Andy stared at the middle of the barrel, the ground was scoured with little bullet holes. Only once had a bullet nicked the side of the barrel, and the gun had misfired.

"Now, don't look down at the barrel, you're gonna go cross eyed again if ya do that," Ringo exclaimed, "Just notice it with the bottom of your vision. Does the straight line on top of the gun's barrel line up with the wooden barrel over there?"

Andy paused and kept her focus on the wooden barrel, the gun was too low, "I can't tell."

"Raise the gun, but keep it a healthy distance away from ya," Ringo said.

Andy raised her gun higher until she saw the line of the gun's barrel line up directly to the wooden barrel.

"Alright, it's lined up."

"Now take the bottom of your left hand and cup the butt of the gun, this will help you to both keep your aim and to keep your hand steady when the gun fires. After a while you'll become stronger and won't have to do this. But until you become a straight shot yer gonna keep doin' that.....After all Ike still has a few good years left in him."

"That ain't funny," the older Cowboy pouted from his new seat on a railing outside of the boarding house. He had learned his lesson when it came to Andy handling a gun.

"Now brace yerself but don't tense up," Ringo instructed, "Keep those shoulders squared."

Andy did so, she stared at the barrel and looped her right index finger onto the trigger of the gun. Even though she had fired nearly seven times the small smooth piece of metal still felt foreign.

"Fire!" Ringo shouted.

She quickly squeezed the trigger, the gun fired and attempted to push her arms back, but her grip on weapon kept it from moving too much. The bullet whizzed past and landed in the middle of the barrel, a moment later a small stream of whiskey began to pour out. The Cowboys whooped and grabbed their canteens and piled under the hole to fill the containers with one of their favorite drinks.

Ringo smiled, "Bout time."

Bill stood up and walked over to her, he proudly slapped her on the back, "Fire again, this time with me close."

"But-"

"Yer gonna hafta get used to it, Kid," Bill replied, "Cause yer comin' with us to Mexico, and Hell or high water yer gonna be shootin'."

She swallowed, hoping she wouldn't have to shoot people. She lifted Ringo's gun and aimed it once again, this time at a second barrel. When the Cowboys noticed she was lifting the gun they began to scatter until Ringo shouted at them to stop.

"Ya need ta learn how to fire at a target and not living people," Ringo exclaimed, "This should be fine practice."

Andy looked at Bill wide eyed.

"Well...Fire," he exclaimed nonchalantly.

She stared down the line of the barrel and shot. A moment later the bullet pierced the wood and more whiskey poured out. For nearly two hours she continued practicing, sometimes aiming at barrels, other times at bundles of hay.

Andy's arms and shoulders were aching from the gun jolting in her hands. Her index finger was cramped from being crooked around the trigger for so long. She didn't complain and made sure to keep her face blank and expressionless to avoid any comments from Ringo or any other Cowboy about being too girly.

Ringo finally walked over and carefully pulled the gun from her hand, "You look like you've had enough."

"For today," she replied.

Ringo smirked, "Well by the end of this week you'll have your own guns."

Andy wondered why the Cowboy was so excited about her having weapons. The only reason she was having to learn to use them were for two reasons: the first being she wanted to stay with the Cowboys, the second's name was Liberty Valance. If she ever ran into him again she wanted to be able draw fast, shoot, and worry about any guilt or fear later....Hopefully she'd be alive.

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The Red Axle restaurant was known as the best eating establishment in Saw Dust, and had quickly been overrun by hungry Cowboys. Ike had his arms folded on the table and leaning forward, his blue eyes narrowed, "What do ya think of the Kid?" He asked his son.

"Tougher than I thought, so he seems ta have it out for you," the younger Clanton snickered.

"That ain't funny, I took that from the others and I ain't about ta take it from you young man," Ike snarled before he glanced over at Andy. The kid had apologized over and over again, finally he had accepted it to get the teen to leave him alone for five minutes.

His anger had left him when the teen had walked into the restaurant a few minutes before. In his arms he was carrying a brand new hat which he presented to Ike. The hat fit much more comfortably than his old one had, and it's large brim kept his eyes shaded from the sun. Finally he had truly accepted the Kid's apology, he would just make sure from now on to be far away from where the teenager was shooting.

In truth he was growing close to the little bugger. The Kid was small was a boy his age, and face seemed slightly older than fourteen. But there was nothing feminine, besides his speech, about him.

"You still gonna teach him about knives?" Billy drawled.

"Hell yes I am, he needs to know more than guns. Though most fights out here are gun fights there's always going to be a time you'll need a knife," he replied.

A metal mug filled to the rim with Whiskey was slammed onto the table top in front of Ike so hard the liquid splashed onto his arms. Ike backed away, "Watch where you're puttin that thing!" He roared before looking up, his stomach fell down into his legs. "Aggie..."

"Don't you Aggie me Ike Clanton!" The short gray haired woman replied as she set her hands onto her hips, "How dare you show your face here in Saw Dust again!"

"Again?" Billy asked, "Ma'am, I think you got the wrong Ike."

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Andy heard Ike roar and jumped, she and several others turned around to watch the spectacle. Ike Clanton was standing tall with his shoulders squared glaring at a gray haired woman. The woman was short, her strong arms were crossed, her sharp chin was jutted outwards as she scowled. She wore a simple blue dress with an embroidered blue flower pattern on it, and a white apron that started at her waist.

"Aggie, c'mon now, please....Don't do this," Ike pleaded.

"Don't do what? Yer the one who walked out on _me_ and yer daughter, Clanton! How dare you walk into this town again! How. Dare. You." Aggie growled, her face beginning to turn red, her gray eyes glazing with unshed tears.

Andy felt a tug at her heart, Ike was a father to Billy she had known, but she didn't know the Cowboy had a daughter. Obviously he didn't either, his eyes were narrowed in surprise, though his face showed utter confusion.

"How do those two know each other?" She questioned to Ringo.

The other Cowboy shrugged, "I don't know, every Cowboy's got a past and a secret."

"D...Daughter?" Ike stammered out.

"Yeah, daughter," Aggie replied, "She's fifteen now, real pretty little thing. It breaks my heart every time that girl asks me 'ma, who is my pa?' and all I can do is to tell her he was some drifter who came through town, took my heart then smashed it."

"Now, Aggie, I told ya I'm a Cowboy I'd be havin' ta go soon. We only knew each other for a month-"

"A month is a longer time period than you think, Ike Clanton!"

"It ain't that long!"

"It was long enough for me to become pregnant and give birth to a child who never knew her father," Aggie replied.

"Well, let me meet her!" Ike exclaimed.

"Ya already have you belly achin' fool," Aggie replied.

"I...Have?"

"She brought ya yer food, you idiot," she snarled, "Sally, c'mon over here!"

Andy watched as another waitress, only around fifteen or so, weaved through the crowd of curious Cowboys and to her mother's side. She had long blonde hair she kept in a knot at the base of her skull, she wore a plain green dress with a white apron starting around her shoulders. Her face was long and narrow, her chin ending with a rounded point. Her eyes were stunning the blue, the same shade as Ike's and Billy's.

"Yes, mother?"

"Sally this here is Ike Clanton, he's yer father." Aggie replied.

The teenager looked at the Cowboy, she bit her bottom lip and attempted to control her emotions. She stared at Ike.

"Sally-"  
"I don't need you," Sally replied, "My mother is strong enough to be a man and woman both. You hurt her, and you hurt me, the sooner you leave the better things shall be, Mr. Clanton."

"Now c'mon, don't talk to yer father like that," Billy interrupted.

"And who are you?" Aggie asked.

"Billy Clanton, Ike's son," Billy replied.

"What?" Aggie questioned as she glared at Ike.

"He's my son," Ike replied, "His mother was the only woman I've ever and will ever love."

Aggie's bottom lip began to tremble, "B...B...But...I...I thought...I thought..."

"I warned ya back then, I ain't never lovin' any other woman, I warned ya back then. Now how 'bout you say hi to my son and properly introduce yerself, then do the same with the Cowboys," he paused," Andy, come over here."

Andy jumped and glanced at Curly Bill.

"Well go," Bill exclaimed, "I ain't holdin you back."

Andy stood and walked towards Ike, her heart pounding, what was he going to do?

Ike beamed, "Sally, this here is Andy, he just joined the Cowboys yesterday. We call him 'Kid,' he's already grown to be one of us, haven't ya Kid?"

"That I have," Andy replied with a nod.

"And how old are you...Young man?" Aggie questioned as she clutched her apron, struggling to get control of herself.

"Fourteen, ma'am," Andy replied.

"And livin' alone and carin' for himself," Ike said proudly, "When we found him he had his own boardin' room, job, and has the maturity and courage of a grown man."

"He just can't shoot!" Whooped another Cowboy.

Andy pushed the brim of her hat down low, feeling her cheeks go a bright shade of red.

"What does this have to do with anythin' Ike?" Aggie questioned.

"Andy here has schoolin', he knows how ta read, write, and how ta do math. He knows history like the back of his hand. We're gonna be here for about a week or so durin' that time, Kid here can teach Sally how ta read and write."

"I know how to read and write, Mr. Clanton," Sally replied, "I'm blonde...Not stupid." She turned and stalked away.

"Ike Clanton!"

"Aggie," Ike smirked.

The woman bared her teeth before stomping off after her daughter. The Cowboys began to laugh before they slapped Ike on the shoulders.


	4. Dust Storm & Andrew's Ghost

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own Liberty Valance. I own Andy "Amy" Matthews and Andrew. Alijah was my great grandmother, a Lakota Sioux.**_

Nearly a week later Andy had her blue bandanna over her nose and mouth. The wind roared as the Cowboys walked on foot, guiding their horses through the Arizona desert towards Mexico. They had left Saw Dust two days ago, what should have been a day's ride expanded into two days due to the harsh weather. The Dust Storm had been quick the day before, convincing the Cowboys it was safe to go on; but when the wind returned the storm came with it.

Andy tucked the bandanna's tail under her collar, but no matter how tight the fabric was against her skin dust still found its way into her nose and mouth. Tears began to form in her eyes as the sharp bits of sand flew in them, she placed her free arm above her eyes and lowered her face as the others had been doing all day. She glanced over at Ringo, even he was having trouble.

The Cowboy was leaning forward in the wind and pulling his horse after him, his eyes glanced towards her their expression unreadable due to the red lines in the whites of his eyes.

Andy felt her heart pounding, would he be alright? What if they didn't make it out of this storm alive? She paused, she knew it was healthy to have feelings for a man she had been staying with in the same room for nearly a week....But when her stomach clenched and her heart pounded in worry for his well being she knew something was wrong. She was becoming slow friends with him, but their friendship wasn't strong enough yet for her to go off belly-aching over his well being.

Belly-aching. She was picking up on the Cowboys' words. Part of her felt pride in this, the other part of her groaned and said 'There goes your chance into going back into regular society.'

She paused, regular society....Who cared? They hadn't wanted her anyway. None of her friends from the school she had attended had attempted to find her from what she could see; there were no missing posters out for her; and not once had she run across a familiar face from her life as Amy.

Had she really been happy in the tight corsets and dresses? Had she really liked the lessons the school gave on becoming a wife....Especially the lesson that stated a wife belonged to her husband and therefore had to obey him at all times? No.

Her eyes narrowed as anger built in her body causing her careful steps become stronger. Andy was her own free person....She didn't _belong_ to anyone. Someone could _tell_ her to do something, but it didn't mean she'd do it. And she wasn't going to take a _command_ from a man who thought he owned her like property.

'Regular society' could go to hell! She was a Cowboy! A free woman....No....She was Andy Matthews, a man. She was a free man. If the consequences of being free meant she could never love or have children then she'd accept these 'consequences' with gratitude.

After she had somewhat calmed down from her bout of anger she glanced over to the left where Ringo had been, her stomach dropped to her legs...He was gone. She looked to her right, no one was there. She was alone. No, no, she had to think rationally. The dust was so thick and heavy that it was creating a curtain, she couldn't see the Cowboys and they probably couldn't see her!

She continued to blindly walk, her legs ached and her arm had become stiff. The dust storm seemed to last forever. Hours later it finally began to slow, then came to a stop. The dust floated around in the air, but for the most part the storm was over.

Andy coughed and shook the sand off her shoulders and began to pat it off her shirt and pants. She was about to rub it out of her eyes but her hands were coated with sand. She reached up and rubbed her sore left shoulder before looking around her. Her worst fear had come true: She was alone, utterly alone. There was no one around for miles.

Storm suddenly whinnied and pressed his nose into her back, demanding attention. She turned.

"Storm..." She whispered, knowing tears were forming in her eyes, "They're all gone. The Cowboys are gone. I don't understand....Johnny was right beside me, then he was gone..."

Storm shook his head from left to right and snorted. Sand fell off him.

Andy bit her lip, no crying, she couldn't cry. Now damn it, she had been surviving on her own since she was sixteen! She'd only been with the Cowboys for a few days, not even a week. There was no reason to go off crying over spilled beans, she'd find her way back to civilization, whether in the U.S. or in Mexico. She had money (more now since Curly Bill had barged into Saw Dust's bank and stole a small pouch full of golden coins and gave part of it to her, another part to Ringo, and the rest for himself).

Andy knew she could find work, make a good life for herself....Maybe one day she'd have her own house?

Ringo's face flashed in her mind and she felt as if a knife had just pierced her heart. She'd never see that annoying bugger who somehow had become more of a friend to her than she was willing to admit. She'd never see Bill again. For some reason losing Curly Bill was almost like losing a father. Maybe it was because he treated her like a son? Then Ike, not quite like a father or a grandfather at that....More like an uncle who was a few apples short of a full barrel. He was a sweet guy, but....He wasn't exactly the smartest thing ever. Wise from experience yes, but as for being his own person and not taking orders....She shook her head.

"No," Andy growled to herself, "No more thinking of them." She grabbed Storm's reigns, "Come on, boy," she said softly as she walked over to his side and stepped into the stirrup then sat down on the saddle. She looked all around her, there was nothing but desert.

"This is gonna be a long day..." she paused when she finally was able to see a little bit of the sky, the sun was setting, "Well...Night."

-----------------------------------------------

Hours later she sat on the cold hard ground of the desert floor, shivering she pulled her blanket closer around her. Storm stood a few feet away, grazing at a short patch of grass. She had been riding for hours now and there was no sign of human life. However, she had found the remnants of an old house, the old wooden floor to be exact. Since there had been a house here it meant that somewhere there was civilization, it might be an hour to two away for all she knew.

When a coyote gave a long and mournful howl she curled into a tight ball, "Storm?" She whispered.

The horse snorted.

She swallowed, "I'm scared," she whispered. It was the first time in her life she had ever admitted being in fear of anything or anyone, except Valance of course.

Andy turned over when Storm didn't reply, she groaned when she realized her horse was fast asleep. So that hadn't been a snort, that had been a fart. How nice.

_"We're never, Amy....The Lakota say the stars are our ancestors watching out over us. When you're afraid, sad, or scared just look to them, ya don't even gotta talk outloud."_ Her brother had once told her with a smile.

Taking his advice she rolled onto her back and crossed her arms behind her head. She stared upwards at the stars, a star gave a bright twinkle. Andy's heart swelled, "Hello, big brother," she whispered, "I miss you."

_"I miss ya too, little sister." _

Andy sat up abruptly, her heart pounding, she looked around. No one was around for miles. She laid back down, so that meant the story was true! It had to be.....No there were no such things as ghosts, scientists in Boston had even said it was nothing superstitious nonsense.

But then why had that been her brother's voice? And the Lakota weren't stupid, they were smart people. When she had run away it had been with an older Lakota woman named Alijah she stayed with for nearly a month. While there the older Native American had taught her how to survive off the land, though there was much more to learn Andy had left in the early morning hours, in fear of Valance finding her.

She stared up at the stars again, "Big brother, I'm scared." There was no response this time.

---------------------------------

"I've looked for hours Bill, Ringo, there ain't no sign of the Kid," Billy Clanton exclaimed as he walked back into camp. They were a mile away from the town in Mexico they had been originally riding towards.

"How hard did ya look, you achin' wretch?" Ringo questioned with a sneer, he too had just returned only minutes ago. But he had found the imprints of horse shoes, being they were still clear it meant the horse had only passed through hours before. He knew it was Andy's horse because of the four leaf clover imprint on the horse shoe.

"I searched for hours, Johnny," Billy replied, "There's nothin'! He's probably dead."

Ringo glared at the younger Clanton, though his cold dark eyes seemed to freeze over more than before as he drew his gun and shot a mere inch away from Billy's left boot.

"You get back there and ya find her," Bill exclaimed, "If you don't find him in an hour come back to camp and get some sleep. We'll start the search up again in the mornin'."

Billy nodded before glancing at Ringo in terror, then ran back towards his horse.

"He's out there Bill, he's a strong kid," Ringo exclaimed.

"I know, Johnny," Bill replied before pausing, "Ya know, I've never seen you care a dime or nickel about anyone before. Why this kid?"

"Dunno," Ringo replied with a shrug, "He just grew on me. Durin' the shootin' lessons....Shit, I feel like an older brother to the kid."

"We all are big brothers to him," Bill replied, "He's out there. Just hope he's alive."

_"This way." _

"What?"

"What?" Bill questioned.

"Ya just said this way," Ringo frowned.

"I didn't say nothin', Ike you say somethin'?" Bill questioned, Ike's answer was a loud snore. "You hearin' voices Johnny?"

Ringo sneered, "No."

_"Go East."_

Ringo stood, "I'm gonna go look again."

"Have fun," Bill replied before stretching, "When ya get back I'll go out, then we're callin' it a night."

Ringo glared at him for a long moment before giving a nod, he turned and walked back towards his horse, Bullet. He climbed aboard the strong animal and hit his spurs into its sides before heading East.

"Whoever or whatever ya are, but damned well lead me to him. That Kid won't make it past mornin' in this freezin' weather," he growled.

_"East." _

------------------------------------------------

_"Wake up."_

"Go away," Andy groaned as she turned onto her side, she pulled the blanket tighter around her. Damn it! It was so awfully cold! She rubbed her arms before slowly opening her eyes. She froze, Andrew stood above her, though transparent. He was the same way she remembered him.

Tall with broad shoulders, wearing an old white shirt under a black vest with a Sheriff's star pinned on it. He wore brown pants and black cowboy boots. Two gun belts were crossed around his waist, each holding bullets and a large gun. Atop his head was the black cowboy hat their mother had given him before she fell ill.

_"Get up, Amy, walk around."_

"I can't, I'm too cold."

_"Get up," _Andrew ordered, his voice only a strong whisper in the night, _"Ringo's comin', you're going to die if you don't get up."_

"Johnny....He's on his way, he's alright, that's good..." She muttered, giving a small smile.

_"You're making Valance's job too easy for him, he killed me little sister. Now you're gonna give him what he wants: everyone in our family dead."_

Her eyes snapped open, "No. I don't want to be dead."

_"Get up. Now. Hurry." _

Andy nodded before forcing herself to move. It was as if her body was made of bricks, sitting up was a battle on its own. Her head felt so light, as if it were a balloon floating over her body. She braced her hands on the ground before standing in a small squat. She began to stand, but a pain through her back caused her to stumble forward into something solid.

"Kid!"

She looked up, "...Ringo," she smiled.

"It's me, Kid, stay with me. Damn you're so small," he exclaimed.

"Just a kid...What do ya expect?" She muttered before she let herself collapse onto the Cowboy. Her limbs were so tired, she was so tired and cold. Ringo was so warm, and very strong....Not to mention handsome.

"Oh no," Ringo exclaimed, "None of that now," he exclaimed as he lifted her up by the shoulders and easily placed her onto her feet. He began to walk and forced her legs to move, "Walk, and open those eyes," he demanded.

She didn't want too, she just wanted to sleep and curl into him! Was that so much to ask? For a good night's sleep with a guy she admired (as a big brother of course)?

_"Do what he says right now, Amy," _Andrew demanded.

"But Andrew..."

"I ain't yer dead brother, how many damned times do I have to tell ya that?" Johnny snapped, "Walk!"

She forced her legs to move, forced herself to walk around with Ringo until her blood became warmer and flowed faster, her eyes opened all the way. She slowly became aware of her surroundings.

"There," Ringo exclaimed, "We need ta get you back to camp," he commented before he threw her blanket over her shoulders and draped it around her arms. He went towards his horse and draped his blanket around her too.

"Storm, we can't leave him."

"Hold his reigns then," Johnny replied as he placed her onto his horse, he led Storm over and Andy grabbed his reigns. The Cowboy climbed behind her in his saddles and took his horse's reigns. Nearly an hour later they were lying in front of a campfire. Andy small prickles going over her entire body as her skin warmed. Johnny lied beside her, with his arms around her, acting like a human blanket.

"At the first sign of one of them wakin' up, Kid, I'm movin'," he exclaimed.

She nodded, "Alright," she replied before she opened her eyes again and smiled at seeing her brother standing at the other side of the fire. He smiled to her before disappearing. She hoped that wouldn't be the last time she saw him....


	5. Mexico & First Killing

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Andy and Gerald.**_

_**(A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, :( Special thanks to LIONKATE for the great review :D It helped me to write this next chapter and come up with more ideas for the story! :) )  
**_

"Now, it's either shoot or be shot," Curly Bill Brocious barked at her the next morning.

It had been 5 hours since Andy had woken up and Ringo had kept his promise. He was sleeping a few feet away from her. The previous night had seemed to be nothing more than a dream; but when she had woke up sneezing and coughing she knew it had been reality. She had gotten lost in that damned dust storm and her brother's ghost had saved her life. All she could figure was Andrew led Ringo to her.

"I'll shoot anyone who points a gun at me," she promised, keeping her voice low between the sneezes and sniffles.

"Ya sure you're alright?" Bill asked rather suddenly.

Andy nodded, "Fine. Just a little shook up. Thanks for -"

"Yer welcome, Kid," Johnny replied before walking past her, "Now get yer legs stretched. Ya need to be on your toes since the Mexican Police are gonna be like bees around a hive at that weddin."

"Mexican po-lice," Bill snorted, "I've gone against them before. They ain't as scary as people make them out ta be. Saddle up, Kid, and do me a favor."

"Alright..."

"Don't get lost."

------------------------------------------

"Well....Ya gonna eat that, or leave it to me?" Questioned a tall cowboy in his mid-30's.

"Huh?" Andy questioned. They had ridden into Mexico an hour before and were approaching the wedding ceremony. Along the way Curly Bill had found it appropriate to steal biscuits and other breads from a local baker. 'When a cowboy's hungry and he's on the trail,' he said to her as he held a warm, crisp, and brown biscuit in his hand, 'he takes food, he don't pay for it. We're the law 'round here, and they know it.'

"I said are ya gonna eat that?"

"Yes," Andy replied before taking a large bite from the biscuit. Her stomach rumbled with hunger, but at the same time she felt sick to her stomach. She was going to have to shoot, and probably kill someone. The thought terrified her. She had to get used to it, especially if she faced Valance one day.

"Then remember: Food ain't meant to be stared at, it's meant to be eaten," the cowboy shifted his weight in the saddle, "Damned saddles gonna the end of my behind. Soon as we get to town I'm takin' the most comfortable saddle I find. So, they call ya kid, I'm Gerald Hoffy."

"Gerald, names Andy," she greeted with a smile.

"Andy, huh?" He slumped in the saddle slightly, "Normal name for a kid with such spunk." He pushed his hand through his sandy brown hair, which had been messy before but looked like a rat's nest now. His brown eyes sparkled with amusement and something else Andy couldn't quite place. His green shirt was soaked with sweat, but his pants and boots looked new. He wore his sash around his neck instead of around his waist, she wondered why but decided not to ask.

"I have a son about yer age....He's 13 now...." He paused as his eyes seemed to glaze, "Miss him like hell....He was 8 when I left ta join the Cowboys. Wife told me if I went all law _un_abidin' not to show my 'fat nose' around her house again. Part of me still thinks it was a mistake that I ever left, and the other part of me feels like it's the best decision I've ever made. Now I have a question for ya."

"Ask away," Andy replied as she patted Storm's neck. When Gerald spoke of his son and home Andrew's face floated through her mind. Then the town she had lived in for two long and safe years. She swallowed back a gulp and forced herself not to think of the townsfolk who she had come to know and love. Their looks she had been given when she left town....

"What are ya runnin' from?"  
"From no one!"

"That ain't true," he scolded, "Ringo told me ya told him the other night. Liberty Valance."

She slumped, "He's got a big mouth."

He threw back his head and gave a loud barking laugh, "Yeah, well, most of us cowboys do. Get used ta it. Listen, Valance is a bad one, but he knows better than to mess with a cowboy. If he ever does run across ya and he sees that sash hangin' round your waist...He's gonna know better. He may be dangerous, but we cowboys are dangerous....'Specially when ya hurt one of us. Believe you me, it will be him whose hidin' out ta get away from you."

She smirked, "I like the sound of that!" The thought of the over-confident, egotistical, maniacal gunslinger being afraid of her made her chest swell.

"Sides from what I hear Liberty ain't doin' so well these days. Some lawyer fella is givin' him all sorts of hell."

"A lawyer?"

"Yep," Gerald shrugged, "Of all people, an Eastern guy. A law man at that. Who'd a thunk it? So it's the lawyer whose got Valance's attention, he probably forgets you even exist."

"Let's hope so," Andy glanced behind her at the barren desert, a dirt devil raced past but the cowboys were far from it. She looked forward and her throat tightened when the church loomed near. The closer and closer it became the worse she felt.

--------------------------------------------------------

The bride and groom had just stepped out of the church when he looked up in anger. For a moment everything was quiet and still; the hairs on back of Andy's neck rose and she knew whatever was going to happen would occur within seconds.

"Ya'll killed two cowboys," Curly Bill sneered before throwing the two sashes down in front of the groom. Everything was a blur: first the Mexican police reached for their guns, then the cowboys drew their guns quickly and began shooting. A storm of bullets raced and when every armed Mexican had crumpled to the ground Andy found herself holding her smoking pistols....A shorter Mexican man looked up at her, his brown eyes filled with pain, a small stream of blood dripped from the left corner of his lips. Then his head fell and his eyes glazed.

Andy's stomach clenched, it became hard to catch her breath, and her heart pounded. Dear God in Heaven. She had shot someone. She had _**killed**_ someone. She stared into the man's eyes, she couldn't breathe!

"The Kid's goin' over!" She heard someone holler.

"Never mind him," Curly Bill replied, "Get on your knees!"

Andy heard a cowboy shout something in Mexican, it was the last thing she remembered before passing out.

The clatters of plates and silverware were the first noises she heard when the peaceful black abyss began to lift. The first thing to greet her was a pain in the back of her head, it tolerable but uncomfortable. Her eyes opened, at first everything was blurry, as she blinked she made out a figure and her eyes widened. Her vision cleared, the Mexican priest was hovering over her making the sign of the cross. She couldn't understand every word he said, but she did manage to understand the words, _"God have mercy on this young soul. He knows not of his actions." _

The priest then stood and began marching towards the long table Andy recalled seeing on their way in. He was shouting something, a gunshot echoed and the priest's voice was silenced eternally. Andy felt her breakfast returning to her throat, she swallowed it down and pushed herself up. She took a moment to regain her breath and gather her thoughts. Along with the thoughts came the memories. Dear God, she killed someone. Her eyes were about to meet the dead man's when a pair of arms wrapped around hers and pulled her up.

She was spun around and found herself staring into the faces of Ike and Billy Clanton.

"Don't you go lookin' over there now," Ike exclaimed, "Yer gonna eat yourself up with guilt. They had it comin', I'll tell ya that, they had it comin."

"What he's _meaning_ to say is don't look back. You know what you did, you don't need to see it again. Especially after its your first time killing someone," Billy put his arm around her back and led her to the table. Curly Bill was eating ravenously, as if he hadn't seen food for years. Ringo was leaning against a tent pole, eyeing a biscuit before taking a large bite into it.

"You ok, Kid?" Ringo questioned.

"I....I shot...I..Killed..."

"It'll get easier in time," Bill assured, "Ike, pass me the butter. Hey Johnny, what did that Mexican mean by a sick horse is going to get us?"

"He was quoting the Bible, Revelations. _Behold the pale horse. The man who sat on him was Death... and Hell followed with him._"  
Bill scrunched his eyebrows, before giving a shrug and a laugh and invited every cowboy to dig in.

Andy stabbed a fork into the food, no doubt it had been meant for the bride. Was the bride even alive? She didn't have the heart nor the stomach to ask. She had been a part of this murder. It was her fault too. She coughed took a quick drink, she was disgusted to taste wine, but the heavy goblet hid the tears that fell from her eyes.

_God, forgive me, I know not of what I have done._ She silently prayed.

"Where we headin' too next?" Billy asked.

"Town called Tombstone, it's in Arizona. I hear it's a real boom town, sounds like a place for the cowboys to stay for a good long while."

"I hear ya there," Billy smirked.

Andy lowered her goblet, she had only taken one large gulp of the wine and hoped she wouldn't get drunk from it. Her level of tolerance was 0 when it came to alcohol and wine.

"Kid?"

She looked up at Bill, "Yeah?"

"The first times always the hardest, if ya need ta talk, we're here. We cowboys are a family, now I'm not sayin ya can turn into a boohooing girl on us. What I am sayin' is that we've all been there before. So gather yer thoughts if ya need to and just let it out."

She nodded, "Yeah, I'll do that." Her stomach clenched again. What had she gotten herself into?


	6. Secret Revealed & Doc Holliday

_**Disclaimer: I do not own tombstone or any of its characters. I own Andy aka Amy.**_

_**(A/N: Thank you all for the great reviews! :D This chapters pretty short, but I'm starting to work on the next one. :) )**_

The cowboys had spent the rest of the day in Mexico into the evening.

"Get sleep now while ya can," Curly Bill shouted to all the cowboys, followed by a loud hiccup, "We leave long before the sun rise!"

Andy took her blankets out of her saddle pack and stroked Storm's neck. While the other cowboys had eaten to their hearts' content, she had only been able to stomach a little of the food that had been meant for the happy couple. She walked over towards Ringo and held the blankets a little closer, she wanted to sleep near someone who could offer comfort. Although he didn't like to show he was a big softy, Andy knew better; Johnny Ringo had a tough outer shell, but deep inside there was a kind man who only chose certain moments to show himself.

"Johnny? Can I..."

"Yeah," he replied as he rolled onto his back from his side. He placed the top of his hat over his face and crossed his arms behind his head, "Just don't snore."

"Alright," she muttered before setting her blankets down. When they were situated she kicked off her boots.

"For a guy you sure do have purty feet," Bill commented as he passed by.

Andy glanced up, "Ain't my fault."

"No one said it was, Kid," Ringo replied, "You're just always gonna be girly boy to us." He smirked when she hit him in the arm. "Now yer beginnin' ta act like your gender."

She smirked, "Learned from the best role models there are."

Ringo snorted, "Quit suckin' up and go to sleep."

A loud shot pierced the night a moment later, Ringo didn't flinch and the cowboys seemed to completely ignore it. Andy glanced up and looked around, in the dim early evening light she could see Ike Clanton returning to camp.

"Damn Coyote, a man tries to use the bathroom and the damned animal confuses my-"

He never got to finish his sentence, the cowboys all erupted in laughter. Even Andy, who had been so uptight began to laugh. It was nearly an hour later and most of the cowboys were snoring, including Ringo. Andy was curled under her covers, each time she shut her eyes those haunting brown eyes peered back at her...Glazed and dim of death. Yet they still held that accusing look.

She swallowed as her heart fell to her stomach. Did the man have a family? A wife? Daughters? Sons? What would they do when they found out he was dead? The grief she would have caused them...No. The others said not to think of it. She would not think of it.

----------------------------------

"WAKE UP!"

Andy jumped nearly five feet in the air, Curly Bill Brocious stood over her. Her heart pounded in her chest, she gasped and let air into her lungs. The night sky still acted like the landscape's blanket, the cowboys around her were also starting to wake up.

"Mornin, Kid," Bill greeted, "How'd ya sleep?" He squatted beside her. His eyes expressed concern she hadn't often seen from him. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen such concern in his eyes or face before.

"I....Kept waking up....I kept dreaming of the man I shot....I saw his eyes constantly, then sometimes....I saw a Mexican woman standing on the door step to her hacienda with two children playing. They were looking for him, and when someone told them he had been killed..."

Bill put his hand over hers, "Look here, Kid, I know how rough it is. But ya can't let it destroy you, which it's doin'. Ya need to focus on other things, don't think about him or what he might have had. Face it, if you hadn't killed him, one of us would've. It wasn't us who said 'Mr. Mexican Police Man, go to the weddin' so we can shoot you. It was his choice to be there, he wasn't obligated. None of those police were, they were there to help save one of their own. Simple as that."

She paused and nodded, "Does....Does the guilt ever leave?"

Bill paused and stared at her, the silence was loud and almost unnerving. Yet it also served as her answer: _No. _

"How do you move on?"

"You just do, because you have too. It ain't easy. Best advice I have for you is the shootin' was the past. The past stays in the past, it don't come back, it don't return, it's done and over." He patted her arm, his eyebrows scrunched together suddenly.

She looked down at where his hand was and her heart skipped a beat, her corset must have come slightly untied these last few days and had slipped down a tiny bit. Her chest was flat on the right side and slightly raised on the left. Her heart pounded, she had to think quickly.

"Well, I'll be damned," a smile crossed his face, "Hey Ringo."

Johnny sauntered over, "Yeah?"

"Looks our Girly-Boy is a Girly after all."

Ringo glanced down and his eyebrows rose.

Andy looked away, her cheeks went bright red and fear gathered in her chest. What if they made her leave or saw her so differently they'd become uncomfortable around her?

"Well, I'll be," Ringo replied.

"You did a good job, Kid. For a while there you did have me convinced you were a fella. What possessed you to go off dressin' like a boy? What? Ya get the desire to put on trousers and just become a man?" Bill stared curiously at her.

She shook her head and coughed when she tried to talk in her normal tone of voice. It had been so long since she had spoken without lowering her voice. She was surprised she could speak normally.

"No," she looked over at Ringo, "Everyone I told you is true. Except for my name. My name is Amy."

"So ya dressed like a boy to keep away from him and kept movin' outta fear?"

She nodded, "Please, let me stay with you all. I know what you taught me and...I haven't had a true family since Andrew's death."

"Andrew, that's why you called yourself Andy ain't it?" Ringo asked.

She nodded.

"Liberty Valance," Bill shook his head with a smirk and a snort, "He was a damned poor cowboy."

"He was a cowboy?" Amy asked wide eyed.

"Yep," Bill replied, "When the cowboys first started he wanted to join. Couldn't live up to our standards and didn't believe grown men should come together like a family and trust each other like we do. He left, we never bothered to glance back. Same day he left Ringo arrived."

"So you're not....Angry with me?"

"Angry?" Bill shrugged, "Mildly surprised, but not angry. All of us knew there was somethin' fishy about you from the moment we saw ya. But when we found you in that town we just knew you were meant for more than shoveling hay. But if you don't mind, we're still gonna refer to you as 'Kid' and keep introducing yourself as Andy. Don't take that...Whatever it is that's keepin' ya so flat there off. Far as I'm concerned, you're the only girl allowed to join the Cowboys. Now pack up and let's git. We got a long ride ahead of us."

"Ringo....You're not....Angry?"

Johnny shook his head, "Nah. I suspected this, I'm glad we found out before some unlikable characters did and decided to take advantage of you. Now we can't spend all our time guarding you-"

"I can take care of myself, I learned from the best. Remember?"

He smirked, "Sure do. And Kid, for the last time, stop worryin' about Valance."

---------------------------------

Half a week later Doc Holliday leaned against the post outside the barber's. An ocean of men of various ages were riding into town, all had one thing in common: bright red sashes around their waists. This could mean nothing but trouble for the town of Tombstone, Arizona. His gaze traveled over to the two men who had led the sea of cowboys. One wore a bright red shirt, while the other wore a black western hat. It was then he noticed the smaller boy who was caked between the two grown men, his eyebrow raised.

Two rough and grown men with a kid between them. That wasn't something one would see every day. There was some reason they wanted that boy close to them. One day he'd find out. In the meantime he'd go back to the saloon to see Kate, then make sure Wyatt's house was being cleaned up properly for him.


	7. New Home & Confrontation with Doc

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Amy/Andy. I do not own Liberty Valance or Billy the Kid.**_

**(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to LIONKATE. Also a part of this chapter is a little mushy...I gotta stop listening to Taylor Swift's "Love Story" while writing. LOL.)**

Andy had been in large towns before, but Tombstone was by far the largest she had ever been in. The entire town was huge with more than two general stores, a train station, the Bird Cage Theatre, apartments, and even free standing houses. There was also a dentist's office, each morning a wanted poster for a man named Doc Holliday was pinned to the door. The wanted poster exclaimed the dentist's lisence to practice medicine was expired, while others said it was invalid. Each afternoon, however, the poster would disappear, most likely the dentist was tired of seeing it.

She continued to wear the corset, trousers, and shirts, along with the Cowboys' signature red sash around her waist. However, at night, she'd sometimes put on the light blue dress with embroidered blue pansies on the skirt Ringo had bought for her. When she wore the dress Ringo would not allow any other cowboy near her but himself or Bill. She kept her fingers crossed this was a good sign and maybe he was starting to feel for her what she was feeling for him.

"Kid," Curly Bill looked up at her.

She turned.

"What do ya think of the tent?"

She walked over to the large red tent which reminded her of a circus tent. It was huge, the flaps that served as doors had thick golden colored thread embroidering the edges, while the top of the tent had a triangular point. Except for the golden edges and top, the tent was a velvet red color. She opened the inside and found pillows of different sizes and shapes over the ground. There was a small table containing different kinds of liquors and rum on it along with shot glasses. Mainly the tent looked like an overly giant collapsible house.

"Come look here, we did somethin' for ya," Bill ushered her in and walked over to the end of the tent. A blue blanket with stars had been sewn to the top of the tent and acted as a wall. He pushed back the blanket and Andy was amazed to find a large purple circular pillow and two smaller pillows. A duffel bag with her clothing, and to her surprise a small jewelry box. "What's that?"

"A lil' somethin' from us to you. Some gunfighter said today was yer birthday."

Andy did a double take, "That's the last time I'm telling Billy Clanton anything!"

Bill let out a hearty laugh, "I told ya the moment you met him, don't tell him any secrets. He's got a mouth larger than the Grand Canyon!"

"Well that's just damned proof...I mean...I ah..." She was completely confused now, as a Amy she wasn't supposed to cuss, as Andy she could curse and be manly all she wanted. In truth she was enjoying the life of a boy better than a girl. There was more freedom, less 'oh lets be polite and hide our inappropriate conversation from the lady' from the Cowboys, and overall she felt more comfortable acting like a man.

Bill smirked, "Yer one of us, one of the fellas, talk anyway you want. The only time yer a lady is when ya put on that dress, but ya can't do that often or we're barred from seein' you. So what do you think?"

"I think it's great. When we want to go we can collapse it -"

"Go?"

"You said we go from town to town..."

"Yeah, Ringo and I decided that this is gonna be the Cowboys' town. We like it, we ain't leavin' this one. We'll go on excursions of course, but this our own little fort here. Fort Cowboy," he smirked, "Now open the box before I open it for ya. If we have a bad taste in gifts, then I wanna know."

"Alright, alright," she took the small wooden box and lifted the tiny metal latch. Her breath caught in her throat, hanging from a strong but delicate silver chain was a silver oval locket with a cowboy hat and gun etched into the front. She opened it and found a photograph of the Cowboys all in a group smiling at the camera. She laughed at Ike's expression, his eyes were large and crossed,his smile was so large it looked as if his lips were going to spring right off his face.

"It's gorgeous, I love it!"

"That's good, that's real good," Bill beamed, "C'mere and let-"

"Me put it on," Ringo interrupted with a smirk, "After all I chose the locket."

"Well, I came up with the idea."

Andy's eyebrow raised, "You both never argued like this before about helping me with something."

"That was before we knew of your gender," Bill replied.

Andy was about to put on the necklace herself when Curly Bill decided to step back and let Ringo do the honors.

The trio were walking out of the tent together when Ike stumbled out of the saloon, anger plastered over his face.

"What is it, Ike?" Bill questioned as he paused.

"Damned pimp cheated me!" The older cowboy scowled, his face was becoming a brighter shade of red as his anger grew.

"What pimp?" Andy questioned.

"Doc Holliday!"

"Why Ike," exclaimed a new slurred voice from the porch of the saloon, "I didn't cheat you....Lady Luck is mah friend."

Andy looked over at Doc Holliday. She had been expecting a little bald man with thick spectacles. Instead she was greeted by a tall and slim gunfighter. He was pale and his eyes appeared to be sunken as if he were extremely ill. He had a thin mustache, and his smile reminded her of a mischievous little boy. He had two holstered guns around his waist and leaned against the porch almost daintily for a man. She almost wanted to ask him how he did that without losing his balance, every time she had tried to lean against the pole of a porch in school she lost her balance. Which led to much laughter and pointing.

"Aren't you a bit young to be with a pack of wolves?" Doc Holliday hiccuped.

Andy squared her shoulders and lowered her voice again, "No, ain't you a bit drunk to play poker and still be standin'?"

"Oh mah," the doc's hand flew over his heart, "Such hurtful words. Ah'll _nevah_ recover!"

Andy then recognized his accent under the slur, southern. Where from the south she didn't know. What she did know was that this drunken dentist was a thorn in her side and a pain in the ass.

The Doc looked her up and down, "Ya know, a young lad like you should be in school. I can adopt you, be yer father."

"I'm older than I look, laughing boy," Andy replied with a shake of her head.

"Hey Doc, don't ya got some teeth to pull?" Bill stared at the tall dentist, "Sides, if I was you, I wouldn't be givin' us no lip." With that he and Ringo walked away with Andy between them.

"What is that guy's problem?" Andy questioned.

"His ass," Ike replied as he caught up with them, "No one is that lucky to keep winnin' one game right after the other."

"Forget about him, Ike," Bill replied, "If he ain't out in a few weeks we'll give him a goin' out party he'll never forget. That is if whatever disease he has don't kill him first."

"Sides we got some business to attend too," Ringo replied.

"What business?"

"Puttin' the town's law in their place, yer gonna hafta stay behind for this one."

"Why? Because I'm a-"

"It ain't because of yer cotton pickin' gender," Ringo replied, "It's because yer too damned young. We ain't lettin' no one as young as you get shot. Why don't you and Ike go get some lunch?"

She opened her mouth to argue, but a stern look from Johnny, Bill, and Ike make her shoulders slump and her mouth close in defeat.

"Now go on," Bill exclaimed, "Also check out that Big Nose Kate's saloon while yer at it. I hear it's a fine place, if it is that will be our headquarters part of the night."

"Right," Ike replied, "C'mon, Andy."

----------------------------

Doc Holliday crossed his arms as he watched Ike Clanton and the young "boy" separate from the other two Cowboys. These Cowboys were going to be nothing but trouble. Already they had poisoned that kid's mind and made his tongue as sharp as a rattler's fang. His eyes followed the boy's every movement, _he _might have thought he was fooling everyone. Doc had observed people since he was a child, and he damned well recognized a female when he saw one.

The fact they were destroying a good woman angered him. When Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan came to town maybe he could convince them to help him get her away from those men. She needed help, though her mouth said differently, her eyes spoke loudly. They spoke of innocence lost, of witnessing and doing horrible things, and somewhere deep in their depths, he knew there was a cry for help.

However, he knew in the end, it would be up to the girl if she wanted someone to respond to that cry. Like the old saying went: you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

"Watch it," Scowled a new voice.

Doc glanced over at as another cowboy passed him, his eyebrow raised. There was a face he didn't think he'd ever see again: Liberty Valance. He shook his head, next thing he'd know Billy the Kid would rise from the grave and walk on past him.

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio," he muttered to himself. Of all the quotes from Shakespeare's books, that was his favorite. It was Lion Kate's favorite too, he smirked and wondered to himself how his sister was doing.


	8. Liberty's threats & Meet Lion Kate

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Andy/Amy. Lion Kate belongs to very awesome self. :D**_

_**------------**_

_**(A/N: Lion Kate's story will be in the next chapter.)**_

_**------------**_

"Well, well..."

The hair on the back of Andy's neck stood on end. Ike sat up straight on the bench and turned to look at the intruder. However, Andy didn't need to look back to know who it was, it was the voice that had plagued her nightmares and memories for years. Her brother's murderer, the man she had stolen her life from her. Liberty Valance.

"Lil' Sheriff's sister went off makin' herself look like a boy." The outlaw sat beside her, "And wears a red sash. I'm reckoning this fellow here already knows your gender-"

"Now mister, if you don't want trouble you'd better be movin' on and movin' on fast," Ike snarled at the outlaw. Liberty Valance was not a handsome man. His face was a long oval shape and ended with a curved chin. The lower portion of his face was filled with long whiskers that had not yet grown into a beard. His nose's shape reminded Andy of a blunt arrow head, and his smile put the devil's to shame in her opinion. His brown eyes were narrow and sly, his pointed light brown eyebrows were arched low as he gave her a sardonic grin.

"I'll move on when I feel like it," Valance replied, "So Dike, is it?"

"Ike Clanton," Ike replied in anger, "I remember the days you tried to join us."

"Well, seems yer famous in this part of the West and I'm famous in Shinbone. How long have you been running, girl? A year, maybe two?"

"F-"

Ike's elbow jabbed her in the stomach, she let out a hiss of pain but fell silent. She gave the older cowboy a look of thanks. He had rescued her from falling into Liberty's trap. If she had admitted to how many years she had been running, the outlaw would have an enormous amount of satisfaction that would feed his ego. Which was the last thing Valance's ego needed -- it already occupied most of the resteraunt.

Liberty laughed, "Well, ya may be exposed more to the world, girl. But like it or not you're still bein' sheltered. I haven't forgotten what you called me."

"Hm, really? Seems I've already forgotten," She replied making herself seem and sound nonchalant. Really, she was trembling in her boots. But she wouldn't let Andrew's murderer see this. Never would she give him that kind of power. Instead she remembered what Ringo and Bill had told her: she could shoot Liberty dead with the way she could now shoot - the cowboy style. A style Valance had never been able to quite properly learn. That gave her a large advantage, and him a disadvantage. She also knew the Cowboys would step up to help defend her, just as Ike was now doing.

However, she would have to be the one to defend herself to fight the outlaw, if he provoked it. The first thing Curly Bill and Johnny Ringo as well as Ike had all taught her: let the opponent make the first move. This was the western law for saying 'it was his fault, he started it, and he had this consequence coming.'

Liberty looked her up and down, then gave a sneer. "For right now you ain't worth my time, but when my business is through here, you're going ta die."

"Another empty threat," drawled a new voice, a female voice.

Andy looked up and her eyes widened. A tall woman an inch or two shorter than Johnny Ringo was leaning against the wall next to the doors. Her long curly brown hair hung down around her shoulders and cascaded down to the small of her back. Her olive skin seemed darker from both sweat and dirt, but took nothing away from her rugged beauty. She lifted her head revealing dark brown eyes filled with courage, determination, and mystery. Something about her facial features seemed familiar, but Andy couldn't quite place it.

The woman wore dark brown pants; light brown chaps; a sky blue shirt; a dark brown vest; a dark tan colored duster; and a leather cowboy hat with a black band around it. The black band had different Native American patterns, in the middle was a large Turquoise bead.

"And who are you?"

"Ya ever hear of Doc Holliday?"

Liberty tensed, "Yeah, what of it?"

"I'm his sister, Kate," she walked over and leaned on the table in front of Valance. She put her elbows on the tabletop, then weaved her fingers together and put her chin on top of her hands. "He taught me everything I know, and I also know, Liberty. That unlike these fellas in red, you're a hired gun from some big-named Rancher near Shinbone. He hired ya because you're nothin' by yourself. Speakin' of being by your lonesome, where's Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum?"

Liberty Valance stared at her blankly.

"I see you don't do much readin," She stood, "Can you read?"

"I can read when I damned well want too."

"Mind your language, I may be a diamond in the rough, but I'm still a lady," the woman sneered, "They call me Lion Kate."

"What's so ferocious about you?" A minute after he had asked the question his head was slammed onto the table top. Kate grabbed the scruff of his neck and drew him upwards, then slapped him, and pulled his face towards her own, "They call me Lion because I am ferocious. The West is a tough place to live, we all know that. So the next time you have somethin' 'smart' to say, I suggest you bite that tongue of yours real hard and real fast. Now if ya'll would excuse me, I'm gonna be late for a family reunion." She tipped her hat to Andy and left the restaurant.

"Now that is a lady I want to be like," Andy exclaimed in awe.

Ike glanced at her, "I'd say do all ya can to be like her. If ya do there's gonna be no one standin' in your way."

"Except me," Liberty reminded.

"Nah," Andy shrugged as she stood, "You're just a little bump in the road. Hey Ike, wanna check out that BirdCage Theater and see what shows are playin' tonight?"

"Sounds good," the other replied before also standing. He tossed a few coins on the tabletop and took his leave with Andy. Both left behind a very angry Liberty Valance.

--------------------

The next morning Andy awoke to Bill and Ringo's voices, she turned over on her pillow and listened to their conversation. The topics were her encounter and words to Liberty Valance, and Lion Kate Holliday.

"She's a good tough person to have on our side," Andy piped in.

"We don't want her on our side," Bill replied as he flopped down onto a pillow. Andy finished pulling the blanket over so she could see him, then stood and walked over to the small group. Besides Ringo, Bill, Ike, and herself the tent was nearly empty. Billy Clanton stood near the opening of the tent looking at Doc's woman, Big Nose Kate.

"Billy, stop eyein' a woman whose gonna cause nothin' but trouble," Ike exclaimed in irritation.

"I'm just admirin' the beauty of nature."

"Because she's a Holliday?" Andy raised her eyebrow.

"That and the fact she's helpin' her brother show three new fellas around town. Don't know who they are, but we'll know soon enough."

"One might be a law dog from the way he acts and observes," Ike noted.

"Could be, we'll see," Bill replied and looked over at Andy, "Hey Andy, how do ya feel about becomin' a woman again tomorrow night? We're going to the Bird Cage and Ringo here's been whinin' about the fact he don't have a purty girl hangin' off his arm."

The cowboy in question glared at Curly Bill, then looked at Andy, "Remind me of those words of his when he makes eyes at that lil' blonde woman runnin' around town. She's one of the new fella's wives. He's sweet on her."

Bill tensed and socked Ringo in the side, resulting in Ringo hitting him back. For a moment the two had a small fight before Andy decided to take her canteen and throw water on the two.

"What'd ya do that for?" Bill glared at her in anger. His bangs and mustache plastered to his a face. It was hard to take him seriously when he resembled a drowned rat; Ringo wasn't in much better shape.

"Because you both are all washed up," she smirked, "Fighting over a married woman."

The two slowly stood. Andy's eyes widened, she turned and ran out of the tent. The two cowboys chased close behind.

"Get back here!" Ringo shouted.

"Haven't ya heard the saying 'Tempt Not a Desperate Woman?'" She laughed.

"That's 'Tempt Not a Desperate Man!'" Ringo scolded.

"Just a little wording change!" She laughed before Ringo lunged and wrapped his arms around her waist. The two fell to the ground together. She tried to wiggle from his grasp once they landed, but he simply turned her onto her back and stared at her for a long moment.

Andy panted and stared up at him, she couldn't read his facial expression or the look in his eyes. A moment later she knew she didn't have too. He lowered his face to hers and gave her a soft kiss. She was sure was glad she was in a nightgown and didn't have the corset on. Her heart pounded and her mind seemed to shut off, an emotion she had never felt before raced through her body as she wrapped her arms around his. A moment later she slightly became aware of loud hoots, whistles, and claps from the cowboys, but ignored. She was finally kissing the man she had given her heart too.

-------------------

Wyatt Earp had been speaking to the Cochise County Sheriff, John Behan, when he when saw a man dressed almost all in black with a red sash around his waist chase a young woman wearing only a nightgown out of a tent. Out of instinct he stepped forward, he didn't want trouble nor did he want to be involved with the law. However, he hadn't given up morals, when a man saw a woman in distress it was his job to defend the lady.

The cowboy suddenly lunged and grabbed the woman, she gave a short lived struggle. His heart nearly skipped a beat when the cowboy kissed her and she returned it, going as far as to wrap her arms around his waist. He shook his head, things were rather confusing around here.

Behan glanced at the scene, "Just...Leave them be," he advised, "The cowboys run this town."

"Does that girl really want to be kissin' him?" Virgil asked as he climbed off the wagon's running board.

"Seems like it ta me. 'Sides everyone around town knows her as 'Ringo's Woman.' Ya don't touch her, ya don't anger her, and ya treat her well. She may be small, but she's a deadly shooter, not to mention everyone of those cowboys is protective over her. Just leave her be, and you'll be fine," he advised.

"The Cowboys are the law. Whose wearing the badge you or them?" Virgil commented in sarcasm.

"It's...Complicated," Behan replied before someone caught his attention. He tipped his hat to the Earps and quickly walked away.

"Nice fella," Morgan commented in sarcasm.

"This town seems better on paper," Virgil observed.

"We're not getting involved," Wyatt turned back to the wagon and decided to ignore the young couple in the middle of the road.


	9. Lion Kate the Bounty Hunter & Arguement

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Amy/Andy. Lion Kate belongs to her awesome self. :) I do not own the saying "To Infinity and Beyond," Disney does.**_

_**(A/N: This is Kate's chapter, it focuses on her past and leads up to who she is today and why she's in Tombstone. From here on out she's going to be playing a large role in the story. :) )**_

Five years. For five incredibly long years she had been bounty hunting. It wasn't an easy job, rather instead it was hard and prejudiced. Men scoffed at the idea of a woman, "the weaker sex," going after criminals. For this reason there was only a few female bounty hunters in existence, Lion Kate was one of those few.

She lifted the glass of liquor to her lips and took a slow and tiny sip. One thing she believed in was not getting drunk, not only did it interfere with her job, but it gave her a weakness. A drunk didn't know what they were saying and what kind of information would escape their loose lips. However, a sober man or woman knew when to bite their tongue.

"You've been drinkin' that same glass for the last half hour, ain't ya gonna hurry and finish it?" The chubby bartender with grisly features and a wooden eye questioned from the other side of the counter.

Kate sneered and looked over her shoulder at the meddlesome man, "You know there is something I need from you."

"Oh?" His gray eyebrow lifted.

"Your absence. Shoo fly, you bother me," she shrugged and tossed her hair behind her shoulders. She heard the bartender take a step back, then forward again. He couldn't decide if he wanted to pick a fight with a woman or not. She rolled her eyes turned and quickly drew her gun, drawing back the hammer she pointed it and shot the man just barely missing his ear. The bullet flew through a bottle of rum and shattered the mirror behind the shelves.

"Now...Mister...You really want to get in a fight with me? Cause I tell you, it ain't gonna be your head or heart I shoot," her gaze traveled downwards.

The bartender blinked from his shocked stupor and quickly moved out of the way. Kate smirked, yes that would teach him. She leaned back against the counter and sighed. Sometimes she missed bein' a woman: the dresses, the dances, and of course the men. But there were perks to givin' up such a strict "appropriate" lifestyle. She had freedom, she gained respect, and not to mention she could catch her fiance's killer where the law had stopped searching due to....'unexpected circumstances.'

As the old saying went, if ya want a job done right, ya do it yourself.

She shut her eyes and thought about James, the son of a wealthy ranch owner as well as the love of her life. His chiseled face and square chin slowly came into view from her memory. His skin had been tanned by the sun, but his blue eyes were always as beautiful as a crystal blue lake. He had a kind and shy smile he'd give, and whenever caught at a silly antic or some other small thing, he'd give a bashful smile and his cheeks would practically glow red. His hair had been a sandy brown color; he hadn't been a tall man, however he was tall enough, and always the perfect gentleman. Her knight in shining armor in those days. Now she was her own knight in shining armor.

After envisioning James's face his murder soon followed. A blonde cowboy with a blood red sash tied around his waist had shot her fiance in cold blood. All James had done was ask the young man to step away from his horse, and the blonde man shot him.

At the time Kate had been in such shock all she could do was stare at the cowboy ran off. When she returned to her senses she rushed towards James, but was too late. The man who her heart belonged to was dead. She had gone to the proper authorities after only a week of searching she gave up. It was then she hung up all the pretty dresses, let her hair down, and bought men's clothing. She had fought and struggled to become a bounty hunter, but finally a governor of the Arizona territory had gotten sick of her always seeking a license and signed one. After that fateful day five years ago she hunted the man who killed her fiance. It wasn't until two years ago she learned the man's name was Billy Clanton, Ike Clanton's son.

She opened her eyes and realized her cheeks were wet. Not wanting for any man to see her crying she quickly wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of her duster's sleeve. It was then the flash of that young cowgirl flashed through her mind, after talking with a few locals she learned the girl's name was Amy, though she preferred the name of Andy.

She was a sweet girl and was mixed up in the wrong crowd. After she and Ringo finished their public display of affection Kate had talked to her for a few minutes; and in that brief time she had seen the girl was split in two. Kate could see Andy had killed someone, it was the guilt in her eyes; yet at the same time she had love for Ringo and her new family.

Kate hadn't offered her help, if the girl wanted it she could step forward and ask for it. She wasn't incompetent. Kate had to admit that Andy was a brave girl, bein' around the Cowboys for so long and still being a decent person. However, she was no longer innocent, once ya take a life that innocence you once had goes out the window. Kate wasn't the one to talk about that, however, she had killed a few men in her time as well. It had been out of the necessity of saving her skin. The first time she had been eaten up with grief until she learned the man she killed had raped a young girl just a day before. Since that day she was always careful not to kill someone unless they were an extreme danger to everyone. Then she would pull the trigger.

"Well you look deep in thought, dear sister."

Kate glanced over at her older brother and smiled, although the two had different mothers they had the same father. Kate could remember a few things about their father, but not much. Mainly she remembered Doc raising her.

"Hey John," She greeted.

"Round here, it's Doc," he hiccupped and held her close, "Ya know, I had this dream you'd be showing up."

"Jo---Doc, how much have you been drinkin'?" Kate raised her eyebrow and wrapped her arm around her tall and gangly, yet strong, brother.

"Whenever I want," he shrugged.

She sighed, since he was diagnosed with Tuberculosis her brother had never been the same man. For a few years he held it together real well, then he began heavy drinking. But Kate couldn't blame him, he had to be in extreme pain and if alcohol or whatever he was drinkin' numbed that pain, then so be it.

"Stop givin' me that look," he scowled.

"What look?"  
"The look that says, 'my big brother's dyin' and there ain't nothin' I can do to stop it.'"

"You're not dyin'," Kate replied, "Yer just...Goin' through a rough time." She helped him onto a barstool.

"I s'ppose you want to hear about Billy Clanton?"

"I didn't say that, and who says I'm here for that bum?"

"You wouldn't be in Tombstone if he wasn't," Doc replied matter-of-factly. "Don't lie, it's the truth. Since he shot James you've been out for blood. Just remember, I'm your Huckleberry and you're my Tom. You're not getting into any trouble without me beside you to help bail you out."

"I don't need to be rescued, Doc."

He hiccupped, "Everyone needs some savin' now and then, Katie."

"Don't call me that."

"Katherine."

"I'm warning you."

"Doc, whose this?"

"Ah Kate," Doc smiled and suddenly sat up straight with a large smile on his face, "This here is mah sister, Lion Kate Holliday."

"The bounty hunter with my name," the other Kate smiled, "I'm Kate, but everyone 'round here knows me as Big Nose Kate."

"You're nose looks normal sized to me," Lion Kate observed, causing the other to laugh.

"Not when I first got out here, I was sufferin' from a bee sting and it was huge."

"But it looked so cute," Doc beamed, suddenly appearing sober.

"How come he's instant-sober for you, but not for me?" Kate questioned.

The other Kate smirked, "What can I say? I'm magical."

The two shared a small laugh before Big Nose Kate went on he way leaving Doc and Kate on their own once again.

"So have ya seen Billy?"

"Yeah," Doc replied, "He's usually with his father. Did ya run across the girl?"

"Yep, she was kissin' Ringo on the street today."

"She's got herself some fine company," Doc grumbled.

"Her choice."

"Not from what I hear," Doc replied, "Overheard two Cowboys talkin' earlier. Liberty Valance murdered her brother right in front of her then threatened her life. She's been dressin' up like a boy for four years and runnin' from him until she found the Cowboys, and now you. Maybe fate is drawin' you both together?"

Kate snorted, "Fate's got nothing to do with it. Just a coincidence."

"A coincidence that two women, both who dress like men and lead dangerous lives, and both had a man they loved taken from them should meet up? You know dear sister, there is a fine line between coincidence and destiny." Doc exclaimed.

"Well, I'm on the right side of the law, she ain't. So whatever my destiny is, it's separate from hers. Now enough of the Cowboys, whose this Big Nose Kate and are ya gonna marry her?"

He glanced over at her, "Never really discussed the subject with her."

"You should, she's a good woman. I like her, and I know your in good hands. Your my big brother, Doc and Billy Clanton ain't my only reason for bein' here like you believe."

"So what's your other reason?"

"You," Kate replied as she wrapped an arm around her brother once again, he returned the embrace with a large hug, "A friend told me your health was gettin' worse. I ain't leavin' until your better, and don't you start on that 'I'm dyin'' song again."

"Well, I a-"

"No, you're not."

He glanced at her and sighed, "You're in more denial about it than I am."

"Am not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too, too, too, too!"

"Not, not, not, not, not, not!"

"TOO!"  
"NOT!"

"Too, TO ETERNITY!"

"TOO, TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!"

"ENOUGH!" Big Nose Kate shouted, "How old are you both, two?"

The brother and sister glanced at one another before laughing.


	10. Birdcage Theater & Andy's song

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own Lion Kate, she belongs to herself. :) The song Andy sings is "Reaching for Heaven" by Diana DeGarmo from Disney's Ice Princess. The saying "In family no one is left behind or forgotten" comes from Lilo and Stitch, I thought the song and the saying would be perfect for this chapter. :D**_

_**(A/N: Thanks WolfxAngel for the great review! :) )**_

Andy stared at the stage of the Birdcage Theater that night, the various acts so far were terrible. But luckily no one was made to suffer the eye glazing 'entertainment.' Each time an act failed to impress the Cowboys would shoot bullets into the ceiling of the theater, which quickly convinced the actors to run off stage as quickly as possible.

She glanced up at one of the boxes along the upper wall, in one she spotted the newcomers in town: 3 brothers. Then was Doc Holliday with a woman named Big Nose Kate. Sharing a box with the two love birds was his sister, Lion Kate Holliday. She didn't look amused with the acts either, but she didn't waste bullets on chasing them off stage.

Finally a good act came onto stage, Faust's story of his deal with the devil. Everyone seemed to be enjoying it, she glanced over at Ringo. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were glittering with an emotion she couldn't place.

"You know what I'd do?" Curly Bill asked, "I'd take that deal 'n' crawfish, then drill that ol' Devil in the ass. What about you Johnny, what would you do?"

"I already did it," Ringo smiled; Bill gave a small and sarcastic laugh.

Andy glanced over to find Johnny staring at her, she smiled.

"And I got repaid for it, I got you," he smiled, "Only damned thing I ever asked for was a good, strong woman. Seems I got my wish."

"I hope you're not saying I'm your reward for dealing with the devil," Andy frowned. Though she had changed as a person, her religious beliefs were still in tact. The idea of being Ringo's prize (no matter what her feelings for him) for dealing with the devil made her sick to her stomach.

"I'm sayin' I made a good choice that day back in town."

"Wait....You knew?"

Ringo smirked, "Wasn't that hard to figure out. You fooled everyone else, and did an excellent job of it as well."

Her mouth opened in surprise, "H...How did you know? I...I even fooled the town's madame! How..."  
"I study people, observe them," Ringo replied, "When I saw you in that saloon that day after carrying that heavy crate I noticed the way you were walking." He leaned forward, "Men don't walk with a slight swing to their hips."

Her eyes widened, "I thought...I thought I had gotten rid of that."

"You're a lady, it's how your built, isn't nothin' you can do about it. Besides, I kept your secret. Though now I'm wishin' I wasn't so hasty to cut your hair."

She looked down with a slight blush.

"Don't be upset, you fooled Bill. He isn't an easy man to fool, and you of all people know that. 'Sides he likes you more as a female, feels like he has a little sister," he smiled.

Bill suddenly snapped as the Cowboys began to stand, "Sit down!" He stood, "Hey ya'll we still have one more act," he stood in front of Andy and offered her his hand.

She stared at him in shock and embarrassment, "I'm not going up there."

"Oh yes, you are. We want to hear ya sing."

"I can't sing."

"Don't be stupid. Every woman can sing," Bill argued, "Ringo, c'mon and help me."

Ringo stood and together both lifted an extremely nervous Andy onto the stage.

"If ya can act like a boy, then you can sing," Ringo smiled, "Just give it your best shot. We won't shoot at you, we promise."

"Pick a good song," Bill exclaimed as he sat down.

"What about that one you wrote for your brother? Reaching for the sky?" Ringo suggested.

"Reaching for Heaven," she replied softly, "I...I guess I'll give it my best shot."

"You'll do just fine," Ike smiled from the second row behind Bill.

She glanced up at the boxes to find the Hollidays and the newcomers were still sitting down. Why had they stayed? Couldn't they just go? Nothing could be easy, could it?

"Um...Hello...Everyone," She squeaked.

"Louder, Andy! You got a good voice, use it!" Billy Clanton shouted.

She blushed, "Hello everyone," she practically shouted, "I'm going to sing a song I wrote for my brother. When he was alive he was a father figure to me and....I wrote the song to thank him...And this song is dedicated to him and the Cowboys....Who reminded me that family isn't just a mother, father, sister, and brother. And that in a family, no one is left behind nor forgotten."

She took a deep and shaky breath inwards, her heart pounded. She plastered her arms to her sides in fear and felt her knees knocking together. She was glad to be wearing a dress, or everyone would see her stage fright. She looked at Ringo and eased, as long as she kept her eyes on him, she would be able to sing well.

She began the song softly, "All my life, there was just me and my dreams....And the days went ticking by, like the beat of my heart." Taking another large breath she began to make her voice louder and tensed it slightly to give it more dramatics, "Spend my nights wondering how it would feel, when the waiting would end and tomorrow would start." She raised her voice as loud as it would go, and made herself sound as happy as she possibly could, "Suddenly I see a light, out of the darkness I'm coming alive!"

"This is how it feels reaching for heaven," she sang and lifted her arms as she imagined reaching up to her brother. Would he be smiling now if he were still alive? Did he know she was reaching for him? "Is this how it feels, kissing the sky? This is what it means touching forever...Like a Phoenix rising from the flames," she began to slow her singing and lowered it slightly again, "I'm reaching for heaven..." She drew her hands down and as she did felt the slightest brush across her fingertips. _Andrew._ Her eyes watered, he had reached from heaven back down to her.

She looked into Ringo's eyes, the line she was about to sing she had written just for him. She knew ehr heart belonged to him, and she wanted him to always know this. "All this time, I never knew I was so strong. But you made me fire the fire that was there all along. In your eyes I can see all I can be," she raised her voice once again and started to sing slightly quicker, "Suddenly I want it all! I know you'll catch me whenever I fall!"

She raised her voice as high as she and beamed with happiness. Her brother was finally able to hear the song and she was able to finally tell her new family how much they meant to her, "This is how it feels reaching for heaven. Is this how it feels, kissing the sky? This is what it means, touching forever. Like a Phoenix rising from the flames...." She slowed and lowered her voice, "I'm reaching for Heaven..."

Andy then looked at Bill, Ringo and Ike as a group, then began to sing the next line "You alone have shown me shining new horizons, now for all I owe you. It's my turn to show you..."

She raised her voice as loud as she could, "This is how it feels reaching for heaven! This is how it feels kissing the sky! This is what it means, touching forever! Like a Phoenix rising from the flames! I'm reaching for heaven....I'm reaching for heaven...Heaven!" She drew out the last word and stopped when her lungs felt as if they were on fire. She stopped and took a large breath inwards and looked at the Cowboys.

Did they like it? They all stared at her, some of their faces were unreadable, while others were shocked. It was then she noticed Curly Bill and Ike's eyes were watering. Ringo was beaming at her, his eyes dancing with what seemed to be happiness. A long minute later they erupted in cheers, claps, and whistles.

After Bill and Ringo lifted her off the stage Bill beamed at her.

"We feel the same about you, Kid."


	11. Liberty's Death & Proposal

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I do not own Liberty Valance. I own Andy 'Amy' and her brother 'Andrew'. Lion Kate belongs to herself. The quotes used are from Tombstone. **_

_**(A/N: Sorry it took so long for the update. I've been sick and buried under in class work. Anyone who tells you it's easy to become a teacher is a liar.)**_

The Oriental was the largest gambling establishment in Tombstone, according to a hiccupping local leaning against the doorway. It was also the one for starting confrontations, as far as Andy was concerned. Ringo, Bill, Ike, and herself hadn't been in the gambling establishment for more than ten minutes and already there was a battle of wills between Doc Holliday and Ringo. Though, at the moment it was nothing more than a glaring contest, Andy knew it would grow to be something more.

"Wyatt Earp, heard a' you," Bill commented before he tossed the law man's autograph back onto the table.

"Now listen here, Mr. Kansas Law Dog," Ike slammed his hands onto the side of the table and leaned forward, "Law don't go 'round here. Savvy?"

Wyatt Earp glanced at Ike, his face, to Andy's amazement, showed little emotion. However, anger was revealed itself on the face of the tall man with silver and gray hair.

"I'm retired," the law man replied.

"Good. That's real good." Bill commented before he leaned back onto his heels. His face visibly relaxed and a sideways smirk had replaced the scowl.

"Yeah, that's real good Law Dog, cause law just don't go 'round here."

"I heard you the first time," Wyatt replied and flipped a card, "Winner to the king, five hundred dollars."

"Shut up, Ike," Bill grabbed the money the youngest Earp had tossed onto the Faro Table and began to count it.

"And you must be Doc Holliday," Ringo suddenly exclaimed.

"That's the rumor," Doc commented before giving a hiccup.

Ringo smirked, "You retired too?"

"Not me," fire seemed to ignite in the drunken dentist's eyes, "I'm in my prime."

Andy glanced at Ringo, what was he doing? Here was the not the place to have a testosterone spill.

"Yeah, you look it," Ringo smirked.

"Do or say anything and I will shoot you where you stand," a voice whispered in her ear. Andy tensed in terror the moment the words were whispered.

"Tell your lover you need air, tell him not to follow, it's a....Womanly problem."

"R...Ringo, I need to go outside...." Andy exclaimed.

"Go ahead, I'll be along later," he replied with a quick sideways glance at her. Her stomach twisted, hadn't he noticed her face? How terrified she was? Then again, his dislike for Doc Holliday was so intense he probably noticed nothing else besides the current rivalry at hand. She turned quickly in hopes to find the owner of the hushed voice but found nothing. She walked quickly towards the entrance door, her heart pounded louder with each step she took. For a moment, Andy paused and took off one of her gloves and left it on an empty poke table, if any of the cowboys went looking for her they'd have a trail to follow.

The moment she stepped off the hard floor and onto the soft dirt outside a barrel of a gun was jammed into her side. She looked over and her eyes widened in terror. Liberty Valance leaned against the outer wall with a smirk on his face.

"So we meet again. You've been a pain in my side for a long time," he sneered.

"I've done nothing to you but stay away, leave me alone." She replied, her voice came out strong and courageous. Inside she was shaking like a leaf, but she wouldn't allow him to see this. She wouldn't give him power over her.

His eyebrow raised, "You really think you're a wild cat? You have a lot to learn," his eyes flashed, "I still remember what you called me the day I killed that sheriff."

"I just labeled you by the appropriate term," she sneered. "If you want to shoot and kill me, then do it. I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not afraid of death."

He took a step closer to her, jamming the gun's barrel farther into her side. She clenched her hands into fists, she would rather looked pained than terrified.

"Shoot you?" He smirked, "Oh believe me, little gal, I will. I've seen how close you and Ringo are, that man took my place beside Curly Bill's side. I was the one who would one day inherit the Cowboys. He took that from me, now I'm nothin' but a damned gun for hire."

"So? What's that got to do with me? From what Bill, Ringo, and Ike have told me you weren't Cowboy material. You were out only for yourself, you didn't care for others...And you still don't. Obviously."

He jammed the gun farther into her side, she jumped in fear.

Liberty smirked, "That's how a _man_ survives. Bill and the others don't know the rules of the West, not like I do. They couldn't find their ass from a hole in the ground, even if it was staring them in the face."

"So you going to kill me with your constant whining or shoot me?" She asked, attempting to sound nonchalant.

"Do you realize how much of an influence you have over the Cowboys?"

"I have no influence."

"You're wrong," his smirk grew wider, "They all gather around you as if you were a rare flower. They protect you and keep you safe. You're their little sister, and from what I've seen their heart. Well, I think it's time for that heart to be broken."

"They won't break, if that's what you're hoping for."

"Oh, I know _they_ won't break," he grabbed her elbow and spun her to the window. Ringo was inside twirling and slinging his gun around, Doc was watching warily. "But _he_ will."

"And he'll come looking for you."

"Maybe, but you see my story is safe," he spun her once again and she froze in terror at finding a well dressed man slumped against a nervous and snorting horse. "I was on my way here and I just happened to see that man coming on strong to you," he used his free hand to grab the collar of her dress.

"Get your hands off me!" She shouted and took a step back, but his hand remained. He pulled her back over to him and tore her collar until the thin shift under it was showing.

"His hands all over you..."

She opened her mouth to scream, he jabbed his elbow into her stomach and pulled open the tear. Terror shot through her like a bolt of lightning. She leaned back and kicked Valance between his legs. He howled and hunched, Andy turned to run and two men quickly blocked her path.

Liberty stood and winced in pain, "You're going to pay for that. But that's coming up soon enough, I haven't finished my....Alibi yet." He smirked, "Where did I leave off? Oh yes, his hands all over you. I noticed you were in distress but before I could get close enough to come to your aid he shot you."

As Liberty began to draw his gun the Cowboys' words returned to her: _Forget reason. Trust your instincts. Do whatever you need to in order to survive. Shoot first, ask questions later._

She reached into a hidden pocket in her skirt and withdrew the small pearl handled pistol Ringo had bought for her a few nights before. One that was tiny enough to stay concealed in the pocket. Liberty stared in awe, his mouth falling open.

"Go to hell!" She shouted in anger.

Liberty's men rushed to his aid. But the gunslinger shoved them away and raised his gun. Both he and Andy fired at the exact same moment and both collapsed.

--------------------------------

Ringo smirked when Bill threw the money in the air in front of the actress's face, "Drinks are on me!" The Cowboy beamed. Their happiness, however, was short lived when two shots rang out from outside.

_Outside. Andy. SHIT! _He darted towards the door.

"Ringo, where ya goin' too? There's always people shootin' one another around here!" Bill exclaimed.

"Andy's out there!" Johnny shouted over his shoulder.

"WHAT?!" Bill asked.

Ringo didn't answer his heart pounded. Andy, damn it! He vaguely recalled her telling him she needed to outside for some reason. It wasn't until now he thought about the look on her face. She had been terrified and he had allowed her to go. She had been in trouble, silently begging for his help and he hadn't noticed. Damn it all to hell. How could he be so stupid? Even Ike would have paused from a 'friendly' rivalry to escort his woman outside.

He skidded to a stop on the door step. His mouth dried, his heart fell to his stomach. Liberty Valance was lying beside the wooden sidewalk, a gunshot wound bleeding from his chest. His attention went to the figure sprawled beside him. Andy. Her dress had been torn and her small gun was still clenched in her right hand. She must have shot Valance, good girl. He rushed to her side and took her pulse, she was alive.

"Ringo..."

"She's alive," he replied as he leaned forward and looked for the wound. Her right shoulder was bleeding, he pulled Andy up and sighed in relief at finding the small round piece of metal embedded in the ground. It had gone straight through, which meant there was less chance of infection and the wound would be quicker to heal.

Bill was at his side a moment later followed by Ike and almost every Cowboy in Tombstone.

"She needs a doctor," Ringo said softly.

"Hell, she needs a damned medal for killing that sorry pain in the ass," Bill replied. Ringo walked over and reached carefully under Andy's shoulders ane legs and winced when she gave a small cry out and her body jolted.

"I'm sorry, Amy, but we gotta move you," he exclaimed as he pulled her into his arms. It was rare for him to call her by her birth name. But for some reason he wanted too. He noticed since he had run to her the air had become chillier. As he turned towards the tent he saw Amy's brother, Andrew from the corner of his eye. The ghost stared back at him. Ringo heard the words, _Protect her_, whisper through his mind. _I will._ He vowed to the ghost and himself.

------------------------------

Pain throbbed in he shoulder and shot through her body. She gasped and let out a cry when she attempted to move he right arm.

"Don't move."

Her eyes opened in terror. _Liberty?_ He had survived. NO. Please God no! She couldn't. She couldn't go through another round of this, he'd kill her this time! She opened her eyes and tried to struggle

"Andy, it's me!"

She blinked the tears from her eyes and the blurred figure came into focus, Johnny Ringo. Ringo. "Ringo!" She wrapped her good arm around him and let the terror that had been her constant companion for the last few years leave her. She released the anger and the pain that Liberty Valance had caused her, now and when he killed her brother years before.

"It's okay," he said softly. She was aware he was stroking her hair and was grateful for the comfort, but for now all she needed to do was cry. "You killed him, that bastard's dead and he's never comin' back, Andy. You're free now, it's alright."

"I...I killed him?" She asked between sobs and blinked until she could stop the flow of tears.

"You killed him," Ringo nodded.

"Did a damned fine job of it too, right through the ticker," Bill exclaimed from his seat. He was holding the curtain of Andy's 'room' open. "You okay, Kid?"

Andy sniffled and nodded, "My shoulder hurts, but otherwise I'm fine. I....he..."

"What happened?" Ringo asked.

"He came up from behind when you and Doc Holliday started at your...Rivalry, I guess I should call it. He said if I made any noise he'd kill me. He told me to go outside and tell you anything along with that you couldn't follow. I tried to tell you, but...I was afraid he was either going to shoot me or you. I went out there and he cornered me. He thinks he should have been running the Cowboys."

Bill scoffed, "He can't run a damned general store!"

Andy sniffled, "I know. He kept going on about how special I am to you all and how I influence you all. I kept telling him I have no influence over you. He told me I did and said if my death didn't effect you all, it would effect Ringo. He told me part of his plan, to act like the dead man against his horse was messing with me and Liberty said he'd come along to try and save me but not reach me in time. I think he was going to use my death to try to get back in with the Cowboys."

"Wouldn't have worked, the man's a terrible liar," Ringo scowled, "You saved him from the slow death I woulda given him."

"I remembered what you all told me....About trusting my instincts and I did."

"It's what saved you, Kid," Bill smiled, then frowned, "And what dead man?"

"The one against his horse," she replied in confusion, she looked at Ringo, then at Bill. Both looked puzzled.

"There was a horse, but there was no dead man," Ringo replied.

"But...The blood on the ground."

Bill shook his head, "Wasn't nothin' there, Kid. Just you and Valance and his two men runnin' away. Ike took Billy and a few other men to go off and track them down."

Andy bit her lip, "I saw a dead man....I know I did."

Ringo paused and leaned down and pulled her into a hug. "The dead man you saw, was your brother. He saved you're life. I saw him, he said for me to always protect you. And I swear I will," he kissed her cheek and helped her to sit up. Then, dropped to one knee.

"Well about damned time," Bill grumbled.

Andy's eyes widened in shock. Her heart thudded, this time from a happy surprise.

"Andy, will ya make me the most happiest Cowboy on Earth and be my wife?" He smiled.

"Yes," she beamed, "Yes...OW!" She leaned forward and grabbed her shoulder.

Bill turned in his seat, "Hurry up with the Laudanum, already! If ya don't I'll tear you a new hole!"

A short doctor with a thick and stubbly gray and black beard rushed in put a glass bottle to Andy's lips. He tilted it up then quickly pulled it away.

"That's all you can have, miss. I'm sorry."

She gagged, the stuff tasted horrible, but if it helped the pain to subside then she'd deal with the taste.

"Thank you..."

The doctor nodded, glanced at the Cowboys and quickly rushed out.

Ringo beamed as he sat on the side of her bed and slipped a ring onto he left finger, a small diamond glittered in the candle light.

"How long have you had this?" She asked in surprise.

"Well, you've been asleep now for about four hours...So, I've had it for two hours now," he smiled. "Bill and a few others went out and got it."

"Thank you," she beamed to him and Bill.

"Now Kid," he exclaimed, "When you throw that bouquet, you throw it at the women. Last thing any of us Cowboys want is a bundle of flowers landin' on us! Can ya imagine what image that'll give us?"

Even though it hurt, Andy laughed and happiness filled her heart. How she loved her family.

"I said it once, I'll say it again. Drinks are on me," Bill smirked.

---------------------

Lion Kate Holliday stared at the corpse of Liberty Valance. She had hoped to have the honor of shooting that bastard. But the honor belonged to Andy. She had deserved to be the one to pull the trigger and end the life of her brother's killer. She turned from the town's morgue - a small building that was mainly filled with wooden coffins - and resumed her walk towards the hotel. It was time to call it a night. She sighed, some day soon she'd shoot Billy Clanton between the eyes the way he had shot her fiancee.

--------------------

"Now, you sure you wanna marry her? This just ain't a scare 'cause of what happened?" Bill questioned as he sat on his cluster of pillows away from the blanket that separated Andy from the rest of the Cowboys. She had fallen asleep half an hour after she had the Laudanum. She needed her rest.

"Bill, I'm marryin' that woman. I ain't stupid enough to let some other man get her."

"How long have you been plannin' to ask her?"

"Since we rode into Tombstone," he replied, "I still can't believe you didn't he was a she."

Bill bristled, "I did know."

"You did not," Ringo smirked, "She had ya fooled."

"Hell, she had us all fooled."

"Not me," Ringo boasted, "Not me."

"Oh so you're the one with the special powers of observation. Whoopee, for you." Bill paused, "Now ya ain't leavin' the Cowboys after you and she tie the knot?"

"No way in hell," he smiled.

"Good," Bill replied and paused, "I'm proud of her."

"I am too."

"When I hand the reigns of the Cowboys onto you one day, that woman is going to be your second in command."

"That isn't a job for a woman," Ringo commented looking surprised.

Bill stared at him, "Ringo, she ain't a normal woman. You've always known that, I know that, hell every single Cowboy knows that. You take her as your second in command one day when she's older and wiser. She'll be good to have on your side."

He nodded, "I'll think about it."

"Do it, or I give the Cowboys to Ike."

"What are you tryin' to do? Kill us all?" Ringo asked, his eyebrows raising.

"Hell, one dumb move only causes another."

Ringo chuckled, "Fine. One day, she'll be my second in command, happy?"

"Very. Now I'm going to bed."


	12. Earp Trouble & The Funeral

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I only own Andy 'Amy' and her brother Andrew. Lion Kate belongs to herself.**_

_**(A/N: :) Ok another new chapter. Sorry it took so long for me to update...And sorry about the grumpy A/N last time. Wasn't a very good day. :-P)**_

Two days had passed since Andy had killed the living nightmare named Liberty Valance. The day after she had gotten shot had been somewhat peaceful, until that night. Curly Bill had drunk enough whiskey to drown a donkey; within his drunken state everything had fascinated him (including his hand). He had stumbled from the tent and began shooting at the night sky (later telling Ringo and Andy he swore the stars were moving). Within his drunken state he shot and killed the town's marshal, Fred White.

Wyatt Earp had arrested Bill, when Ike attempted to scare off the former law man he had found himself face to face with the barrel of the Earp's gun. The next morning a 'no gun in town' law had been passed. The next night hadn't been much better, Ike had gotten mad at Doc Holliday's constant luck at winning Faro and Poker games without a single lose. Virgil had knocked him out and thrown him into the town's jail. Now the tensions were high between the Earps and the Cowboys.

"I'm tellin' ya, Ringo," a cowboy whispered, "Those Earps and that Doc Holliday have somethin' up their sleeves."

Andy looked at the silhouettes of her husband and another Cowboy. It was early morning and the sun's light pierced through the tent, almost making her fiancee's figure and the other man's figure look like a large shadow puppet show. She wished she could be up to help Ringo and Bill, but any time she tried they simply picked her up and took her back to her 'room.' Sometimes being petite was a pain in the rear end.

"They want a fight," The Cowboy exclaimed, "I say we should give them one."

"Nope," Ringo replied, "We wait for them to make the first move. Never shoot a man until he's drawn his gun." His shadow looked pointedly across the tent towards someone. Andy assumed that someone was Ike.

"He had a gun to my forehead, what was I supposed to?"

"Lie," Ringo replied, "Told him yes and said it in code so one of us coulda shot him."

"Johnny, what's going on?" Andy asked, she had enough of this; hush-hush Andy needs to heal. It was a shoulder wound, Bill had said himself it would heal quickly. It wasn't stopping her from walking. However, the Laudanum was another story. She stumbled around after taking it and her body felt so numb, she didn't like the feeling very much....But she did like the fact the pain in her shoulder subsided.

"It's nothin' Andy, go back to sleep."

"It's more than nothing," she reached over and drew back the blanket. The other Cowboy was Billy Clanton, he tipped his hat to her and gave a small smile.

"How ya feeling, Andy?"

"Right now I don't feel much of anything," she gave a sheepish smile, "Though I think I might have to use the...Um..." she blushed and looked at Ringo. His eyebrow raised. "Outhouse," Andy finished.

Billy's face went beat red before he backed away, "How 'bout...We uh talk...later?"

Ringo nodded before he walked over to her, "Can you walk?"

"No, I have three legs and I'm having to learn to balance on them," she smirked.

Johnny laughed, "I gotta tell Bill to stop being so sarcastic around you, it's rubbin' off." He looped his arm around her waist and helped her to her feet. She winced when a pain shot through her shoulder, down her back, and finally into her legs.

"You ok?"

She nodded, "Just getting my bearings. What happened?"

"Nothin' more than what's been happenin'. Those Earps are tryin' to cause trouble again. Tellin' the town we're the bad guys."

Andy snorted, "Before we came this town had three rapists, two burglars, and a peeping Tom. We cleaned this town up, and cause of that _we're _the bad guys?"

"Some people have a screwed up sense of justice. How's the shoulder?"

"It hurts sometimes, but overall I can't feel it. The doctor changed my bandage today and said it's healing nicely."

"That's good," he smiled, "How 'bout you come to Big Nosed Kate's with me this afternoon and grab some lunch?"

"Sounds like heaven, I miss walking and moving around."

He chuckled, "You gotta heal, and healing means taking a break."

"How's Storm?" She asked, she missed her horse. She wanted to comb him, pet him, and feed him a few sugar cubes.

Ringo smiled, "He's fine. Givin' Ike and Bill all sorts of hell whenever they try to come near."

Andy laughed, "That's my Storm."

Johnny gave a small smile before stopping in front of the outhouse, "I think I'm uh...Gonna go check on the horses..Uh...I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Alright."

-------------------------------

Almost a week later Andy awoken from a Laudanum-induced sleep to find Bill and Ringo pacing around the tent in a fury. But they didn't only look angry, they looked hurt and wounded. They looked as if...As if one of the Cowboys had been shot. She quickly pushed herself off her pile of pillows and stumbled into the main tent from behind the blanket.

"Bill, Ringo, what happened?"

Johnny looked at her, opened his mouth and shut it. He shook his head quickly, set his hand on the butt of his gun and continued his fast pacing. His dark brown eyes were glittering with unshed tears and Andy knew one of the Cowboys had either died or had been shot. She guessed the latter.

"Bill...What happened? Is he ok?"

"Their dead. Those damned bastards shot and killed them. Frank and Tom McLaury are dead...So is Ike's son."

Andy's heart fell to her stomach, she shook her head as she attempted to make sense of the news. Billy....He had been one of the first Cowboys to accept her into their family. He and Ike had helped her pick out Storm. She hadn't known Tom and Frank very long, but she had known them long enough to become quickly attached. Now they were...Dead...All of them....And poor, poor Billy. He hadn't deserved being shot.

"W...Who shot them and where?" She finally managed to stammer.

"The Earps, Doc Holliday, and that damned sister of his...In front of the O.K. Corral," Ringo spat.

Lion Kate Holliday had shot Billy? Why? What he had ever done to her? Billy minded his own business and had never hurt a hair on the woman's head. She sat down, the pain gathering in her heart was not one that could be numbed by any dosage of Laudanum.

"Their funerals tonight," Ringo said softly as he sat beside her.

"I would never miss it," she replied, "I hope the men who did this rot in hell."

"They will, once we kill them," Bill grunted.

"Let me shoot one of them?"

"No," Ringo replied with a shake of his head, "If anyone sees you killin' one of them they'll know you. I won't have you bein' killed as well. You're gonna sit this one out."

"Ringo!"

"Don't argue with me, Amy!" He nearly shouted, his eyes wide and seemed to blaze with fire.

She bit her upper lip and gazed downwards.

"We won't kill of them now....We'll make them wait....Then take them by surprise. Whichever one we kill-"

"Whichever one?" Ringo snapped, "We shoot and kill _all_ of them!"

"Not so fast, Hot Head," Bill growled, "This pain we're feeling....They need to experience it."  
"Which one?"

Bill glanced at Johnny, "We'll watch them, keep an eye on them. Whichever one their most fond of protectin' will be the one we take from them. Just like they took Tom, Frank, and Billy from us. Then we'll wait a little longer, wait for them to come to their senses."

"Then we kill them?" Ike asked.

Andy jumped and looked up, she hadn't noticed the distraught Cowboy sitting near the flap of the tent. His cheeks were tear stained and the whites of his eyes were decorated with red lines.

"Ike..." She started.

"Don't say it," he said softly, "I can't stand to hear it again. I know you're sorry, we all our. He was your family too, you know. We'll get the cheatin' pimps who did this, so help me we will."

"That we will, Ike," Bill agreed; Ringo nodded; and Andy followed the suite.

Ike looked at Andy, "Ringo...You should get her outta here. Things may get messy, you and I both know this. We don't need another death....She is our easiest target."

"I am not!" Andy snapped. "I may be a woman and I may be small, but I have a spirit as large as the Rocky Mountains! I'm stayin' and fightin'. And I am not the 'easiest target' of the Cowboys. If anything's an easy target is our tent!"

Bill shook his head, "The Earps and Hollidays won't go as far as too shoot a woman. That's against all codes of the North, East, South, and West."

"That lady killer sister of Doc's just might well do so," Ringo reminded.

"She won't," Bill replied, "She likes Andy."

"How do you know?" Andy asked.

"She said so yesterday, even went as far as to ask Ringo how ya were doin'....And she thinks yer gonna 'come to your senses' and leave us soon."

"I came to my senses the day I met you all," She replied.

Ringo laughed, "That's what I told her. I don't think she's gonna be a threat to you, Kid. But just incase...Stay clear of her."

"I will."

--------------------------

Andy had always thought fireworks were for joyful occasions: the Fourth of July, New Years, sometimes Christmas, and the Chinese New Year. However, they were also meant for sad occasions too, she soon learned. She walked beside Ringo down the long and wide road in middle of Tombstone. Bill walked a few feet ahead of them with Ike. Behind them, on a large wagon, the mortician followed with the bodies of the three dead Cowboys.

Andy glanced over at Ringo; he was clenching his teeth causing his square jaw to look sharper. His dark eyes were set on the road in front of him that led to Boot Hill. He walked with a saunter and attempted to look as if he were alright....Just a little sad. But Andy knew otherwise, he was heartbroken. They all were. As they passed a house she looked over to find Wyatt Earp sitting on the porch alongside his younger brother, Morgan, whose arm was in a sling. The two brothers were watching the funeral procession, their faces seemed cold and emotionless. Andy scowled at them, _killers._ The eyes of the Mexican police officer flashed through her mind, she quickly thought of the first time she saw Ringo. The haunting memory of the shooting from what seemed like ages ago soon left her. She knew she was a killer as well, but at least she didn't go off shooting men who had their backs turned; that Mexican officer knew what he was getting himself into. He chose his fate.  
She looked over at Ike and her heart crashed to her feet. Poor Ike looked horrible. He had lost his son, if he looked horrible on the outside only Lord knows how he looked and felt on the inside. She wanted to walk quickly over to him and give him a large hug, but this wouldn't be acceptable at the moment. They'd have to wait until much later for that. She glanced at the banner that two cowboys in front of Ringo carried: MURDERED ON THE STREETS OF TOMBSTONE.

As they neared the cemetery Andy chanced another glance at Ike, he was glaring at Wyatt and Morgan with a look of hate. He clutched a handful of wildflowers in his hand. As they walked through the low metal fence and gathered around the grave Andy stood between Ike and Ringo.

"Ike, I...I'm not....Wonderful at art...But I'm pretty good of sketching...if you'd like I...I can sketch Billy for you."

He looked over at her, "I'd appreciate that, Andy. I didn't mean what I said earlier that you're our weakest-"

"You have no need to apologize," she replied softly, "None at all."

He looked at her and drew her into a quick hug, "No...I do. You made it easier for all of us these few past hours. Its a strong woman like you who holds us strong-minded men together."

She shook her head, "It's all of us who hold one another together, not just me," she said as she reached into her pocket and took out her rosary. She hadn't prayed on it since the day she snuck back into Shinbone (Liberty Valance's town) to visit her brother's grave. She had prayed over his grave for Andrew....She would do the same for Billy, Tom, and Frank.

------------------------

Lion Kate leaned against the porch of the hotel and watched the funeral from afar. She didn't feel bad for killing Billy. She smirked as she remembered the look on his face after he wiped the water from his eyes. She had caught him during his morning shave and face cleaning. His look of surprise and confusion had been priceless. Then she recounted the story of her fiancee, he insisted he didn't know who he had shot. But the moment Kate held out her fiancee's gun he remembered quickly, his face had paled and before he could shoot her or her older brother, she shot him.

Kate glanced at Andy, she couldn't figure out why that girl loved Ringo or any of those murderous thieves. However, different people had their different paths to take. Before she turned away she muttered, "Hope your path don't get you killed, Andy. But...Just incase, I think I'll stick around a little longer."


	13. Ringo's Anger & I'm Your Huckleberry

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Amy "Andy". **_

_**(A/N: Thanks for the great review, Kathrine. :-) Lion Kate is staying longer for two reasons; the first being her brother (doc) is sick. The second reason is Andy. She wants to get Andy away from the Cowboys, for a reason that could be good or bad. It will be in the next chapter. :) Also, apologies, this chapter may not be written very well. I got home about two hours ago from a 6 and a half hour, FTCE (Florida Teacher's Certification Exam), very hard, long, and frusterating.)**_

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Lion Kate crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the open doorway of Tombstone's boot and gun shop. Since the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the Cowboys had been wandering around town drunk and angry. She looked across the street and spotted her brother in the barber's chair; he looked happy and relaxed. She sighed, it was nothing more than an act. She had warned her brother she would be sticking around town to help care for him, which he hadn't appreciated, but after a long argument he finally gave in....Well passed out after one too many cups of whiskey. But she wasn't only here for Doc.

She looked over at a small argument in the streets. The Earp brothers were arguing with that small mustached man with large black glasses. When she heard the man state the three cowboys the Earps, and she, had shot were his friends she shook her head.

"All they ever did was laugh at 'im," Wyatt said after a minute.

Lion Kate agreed; the Cowboys had never cared much for the deputy. They had halfway took him under their wing....For who knows what reason. The only 'Cowboy' who never made fun of him was Andy. She was always kind to him; whenever the Cowboys would see her kindness to the man, they would usually be nice to him as well until Andy left.

"Sissy boy shoulda stuck around," Ringo's slurred voice drawled out as he stumbled onto the streets.

"Ringo..." A new voice exclaimed. Kate followed the origin of the new voice and found Andy chasing after her future husband...And Andy was the second reason Kate had decided to stick around town. She needed to talk some sense in that woman, before she completely washed her life down shit creek. She just wondered when would be the right time to confront her. She would talk with the other woman in the late evening when all the Cowboys were at Kissing Kate's.

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Andy had been walking back towards the tent after a stop at Tombstone's new and small library. She still loved to read, she was surprised Ringo hadn't nicknamed her "Bookworm" yet. Then again, he was taking the three Cowboys' death as hard as Ike was taking Billy's murder. She sighed, she missed Billy and the two other Cowboys badly, the fact the Earps had murdered them in cold blood angered her to the point she swore to help the Cowboys shoot them.

When she heard Ringo's slurred voice her heart had lunged into her throat, she had known Johnny had a bad temper. But Bill had warned her, the Earps would bring Ringo's darkest side out and she had to be careful. She would, but also she wouldn't let him go off doing something as foolish as getting himself shot and killed.

"Ringo!" She shouted as she jogged towards the middle of the street. The Earp brothers were eyeing Ringo. They stood their ground, however, they did not reach for their pistols.

"What do you want, Ringo?" The oldest brother, Virgil Earp, questioned as his hand shot to his pistol.

"Noth-" Andy started.

"I want your blood...I want your souls...And I want them both right now," Ringo's soft tone sent shivers running up and down Andy's back. She felt as if she had been sudden stuck in _Dante's Inferno_, and her husband was the Devil flapping his wings, attempting to escape his icy entrapment. His voice was laced with anger and rage.

"We don't want anymore trouble," Wyatt replied after a short moment.

"Well ya got trouble!"

"Johnny," Andy exclaimed and wrapped her good arm around his own, "Let's go. Forget them, they're not worth anymore blood shed-"

He shoved her off him, when she tried to reach for him again he pushed her so hard she stumbled backwards a few steps and fell onto her bottom. She stared at him in shock, a pain traveled through her heart. _It's grief and whiskey talking, it's not him..._She said to herself.

He stared at her, snarling, his eyes filled with rage, "Get the hell away! When I want a whore hangin' around me I'll damned well let you know!"

Andy felt as if a bullet had pierced her heart, "Ringo...I'm your fiancee-"

"You think I want to marry you?" He shouted and took a quick step forward. The Earps suddenly reached for their guns. Ringo ignored and continued to shout at her, "I couldn't give a damn about you! You're nothing but trouble, a whiny brat afraid of her own shadow! I'm done baby sittin' you, done! Ya hear me! _Done!_ You ain't a Cowboy! You never were, we just felt sorry for you!"

Andy stared at him in disbelief as she scrambled to her feet, her heart pounded with pain and tears were beginning to flood.

"See! Cowboy's don't cry about sissy stuff! Yer a girl! So either be one or go where all other whores belong!" He shouted at her then turned towards the Earps, "My fight...Starts with you," he growled and pointed to Wyatt.

Wyatt simply pulled open his jacket and shut it, "I'm not goin' to fight you, Ringo. There's no money in it." He and his brothers shoved past Ringo and towards Andy.

"Wretched slugs!" Ringo snarled.

The three men ignored.

"Young lady, do you really want to marry _that_?" Virgil asked and nodded at the angry Cowboy behind them.

She shook her head, "He....He..." She couldn't say anything else before she hugged herself tightly.

"Excuse my french, ma'am, but he's a bastard," Wyatt replied, "It's time to leave that life behind. Start out new."

"I did...With the Cowboys."

"You didn't start new, girl," Virgil replied with a scowl, "He's just puttin' you through pain you've probably been through before. We won't put you through that, we'll help you to get a new life. We have a few friends here. Or we have many back in Kansas if you'd feel safer there."

"The Cowboys are my family..."

"Does family call one another whores?" Morgan asked.

Andy paused for a moment, "I heard you three arguing yesterday, and you called one another mighty hurtful names."

"This has nothing to do with us, don't twist it around," Wyatt warned, "Come with us, we promise to keep you safe. This offer only lasts for one minute."

"I..." Andy stared at his arm, then looked at Ringo. She turned around looking for Bill and the other Cowboys, they were nowhere to be seen. But even if Ringo was like this, the others weren't. She shook her head, "No. The Cowboys are my family, Ringo may not be any longer, but that doesn't change the fact Bill, Ike, and the others will always be."

"Don't be stupid," Wyatt frowned.

"I'm not being stupid, walking away from my family over a man whose only crime is being drunk with grief would be stupid. I'm smarter than that," Andy replied. She turned and found Ringo walking slowly towards her, anger still in his eyes. She drew back her good arm, clenched her hand into a fist, and socked him. "Get to your senses or you won't have a fiancee when you get back to the tent!"

Ringo stumbled in shock. Before he could yell at her she was already quickly walking away. He growled and redirected his anger back at his original target, the Earps. "Don't any of you have the guts to play for blood?!"

"I'm your Huckleberry," drawled the thick Southern accent of Doc Holliday. "Just my game..."

"Alright, you go to hell. I'll put you out of your misery," Ringo threatened.

Hearing Ringo's suicidal words was breaking Andy's heart in half. A wooden gate in front of an alley way opened, Bill and the other Cowboys began walking out talking amongst themselves. Andy ran over and grabbed hold of his arm, "Bill, Ringo's going to commit suicide and I can't stop him, and I'm not going to try. You better do something, because not only can't I, but I won't."

Bill's eyebrows shot upwards in surprise, "Andy, what happened?"

"Ringo's drunk...He called me a whore...and basically said I'm not worth anyone's time but a paying client. But that's not what I'm upset about right now, he's out there getting ready to fight Doc Holliday. Holliday will _kill_ him!"

"Damn straight, go back to the tent, Kid."

Andy nodded and walked away, she bit her lip to try to keep herself focused from the pain in heart. It became worse as Ringo's words continued to echo around her head. Tears began to brim in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. There was no reason for tears, she'd just make Johnny Ringo's life a living hell later in the day.

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"Say when," Doc exclaimed for the second time when several pairs of arms suddenly wrapped around Ringo.

"Johnny, don't!" Bill growled.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Several of the Cowboys shouted as they struggled to keep him from reaching his gun. They pinned Ringo's arms to his side, but still the angry Cowboy struggled.

"Get off!" Ringo shouted as the Cowboys began to push him down the street, "Get off!"

"Easy, easy, Ringo," a few of the Cowboys exclaimed as they continued to push him down the street. each one of them knew to keep his arms pinned to his sides or he could grab his gun at any moment.

Bill turned and his arms into the air, as if saying 'what can I do?' "Don't mind him," he exclaimed as he cocked his hips to the side, "He's just drunk, that's all!" He gave a small sarcastic laugh before turning and following the other Cowboys.  
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When they were a few feet down the road Ringo managed to break away from the others and began to run towards the Earps. He was angry, hurt, and his ego had been wounded. Bill stepped in front of him and grabbed his arms, "Easy, Ringo, easy," he warned.

"No!" Ringo shouted, "No! I want them spittin' blood!"

"Now ain't the time!" Bill replied as two Cowboys came to his aid and began to pull Ringo off him.

Still, Ringo struggled, until one shoved him to the side. Johnny felt himself stumbling forward almost falling and a flash entered his mind.

_He shoved Andy off himself; still she was persistent and attempted to reach him. He shoved her so hard she stumbled backwards and fell onto her bottom, then stared at him in shock and hurt. It was a look he had never wanted to see aimed at him._

Had he shoved Andy? Reality returned when he ran into a few coffins, even his arms couldn't break the quick crash.

"I tell you boys, even I'm worried about what's goin' to happen when Ringo runs this outfit! God have mercy!" He began walking down the street before he paused and turned.

"Bill, Ringo shoved Andy and said some mighty hurtful things to her," one cowboy named Jed frowned.

Bill turned, "So she told me. Ringo, you remember shovin' Andy?"

Ringo stared at him, "A little."

Bill frowned, "Yer damned lucky to have a woman like that at your side, and you go shovin' her and callin' her a whore? The way yer actin' I wouldn't be surprised if she threw that ring right back at ya! Control the temper, or I ain't lettin' you marry her, that's _if_ she decides to stay with ya."

Ringo glanced back at the Earps, but he couldn't blame them this time. If his relationship with Andy died, it would be his own fault for letting his temper get in his way, again. As soon as the thought entered it mind it rushed out when Billy's face flashed through his mind. Anger once again returned as he rushed towards Tombstone's 'law.'

"Cool it, boy!" Bill warned once again before walking off.

"Where are ya goin'?"

"To make sure Andy ain't gonna kill ya," the other cowboy retorted.

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Andy had been halfway through the first chapter of _Billy the Kid_ by Pat Garret, the sheriff who was said to have shot and killed Billy Bonnie; though many of the Cowboys swore Billy was still alive.

"Kid, you alright?" Bill asked as he pulled the blanket away and peeked in at her.

"Hi Bill, I'm alright," she gave a soft smile. The old saying 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me' was entirely wrong. Words hurt just as bad. "How's Ringo?"

She was angry at her fiancee, but understood the pain of losing loved ones. The loss hurt her as well, but she wasn't going to go off drinking and try to die in a gunfight.

"Liar. He's...Coolin' off. He'll be in later, and I'm sure he'll be apologizin' to you."

"I'm sure he will, at least if he wants that blueberry pie I made everyone last week, he'll definitely want to apologize."


	14. Forgiveness

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Andy "Amy." **_

_**(A/N: sorry this chapter is so short. I promise the next one will be longer. :D)**_

"Andy, I was drunk...I didn't mean ta call you those things!" Ringo exclaimed as he walked into the tent. He watched as she opened the blanket and his breath caught in his throat, his face turned a bright shade of red.

Andy had peeled open the blanket only enough to reveal her naked shoulder, face, and hair. Ringo had caught her right in middle of her bath. He stammered for a moment before the blanket closed. The sunlight was shining through the tent the right way and silhouetted her form stepping out of the metal bathing basin. He took a deep breath and dug his heels into the ground to keep from barging behind the blanket. His imagination was already running wild as he began to imagine her curtain falling revealing her beautiful....

She walked from behind the blanket with one his old shirts on, it ended at her knees. Though it covered most of her, it revealed enough to keep his mind occupied.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" She suddenly snapped.

He jolted, "I'm staring at a half naked beautiful woman, what do you think is wrong with me?"

She rolled her eyes, "Not now, what you did back there -"

"Andy..." He paused, "I was wrong, and I am so sorry. None of those things I said I meant."

"I know, yet it was hurtful. Though, that wasn't I was talking about. What in Hades is wrong with you, challenging the Earps and Doc Holliday to a duel? You were as a drunk as a skunk! He could have shot you before you had a chance to blink, let alone draw your gun! You almost commit suicide!"

It took a lot to surprise Ringo, and since Andy had come into his life he had nothing but surprises.

"Wait, you ain't mad about what I called ya, and when I shoved ya....You're mad about me almost getting myself killed?"

"I'm mad about both," she replied. "Those words hurt, I've....I've never been _with_ a man in that way. Ever." Her cheeks began to glow beat red, "And when you called me...A whore, I felt like you had shot me. Then when you shoved me..." She shook her head, "At first I was hurt and confused, then angry. People say things when their drunk, sometimes the things are untrue....And sometimes....They are. Do you really think I belong in a brothel?"

He shook his head, "You gonna take me back?"

She looked up at him and stared for a long minute. His stomach churned. He had lost short love interests since he was old enough to understand women could be more than friends. He had whores angry at him for years. Not once had he cared if the women were angry and wanted to leave him. Now though....Now he cared. Amy...Andy....She was amazing, kind, sweet, stubborn, strong, and a true Cowboy. At first he had only admired her, then as he grew to know her he had found himself feeling more than just friendship. He was learning about her each day and he wanted to continue to learn about her.

He shifted his weight onto his other leg and looked up at her. She was still staring at him. Why was she taking so damned long? He looked up at her, she had a small smile on her face and his heart lifted. She was taking him back.

"You...Forgive me?"

"I forgive you," her smile faded suddenly into a deadly look as her eyes narrowed, "If you ever pull any of that, going into a duel unprepared and being drunk again - and calling me names I don't deserve - I'll have to make sure we can't have children."

He swallowed, her point was very well taken. Her smile returned.

"Andy..." he paused and walked closer to her. He stared at her, God she was beautiful. Her red hair was darker and plastered against her skin, framing her face like a living tin type. His shirt was soaked and it clung to Andy's womanly curves. He leaned towards her and wrapped his arms around his waist. The moment their lips touched he felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck him.

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It was near midnight when Andy woke to Ringo shaking her and handing her a glass.

"Ringo?" She asked in confusion. She wanted to go back to sleep, her body felt heavy, her eyelids barely managed to stay open.

"You said you were thirsty," he replied.

"I did?" She asked.

"You did."

"Thanks," she muttered before drinking the water. It had an odd taste too it, but she chose to ignore. After the glass was empty she felt his hand brush against hers as he took it back. His arm wrapped around her as he leaned close to her ear.

"Forgive me, Andy. I'd never hurt you, I love you very much and that's the reason I'm doin' this," he whispered.

Before she asked him what he meant, she fell back to sleep.

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Ringo looked down at Andy before pulling her closer to him. He had slipped a small amount of Laudanum in her drink. He knew she wasn't hurting, but she hadn't had a good night's sleep since the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. No one had.

"Johnny, you in here?"

"Yeah," he replied, "What is it, Bill?"

"We got Morgan Earp."

"Good," Ringo replied, "Holliday's mine."

"Don't start that up again, Johnny. He ain't worth it. Go ta sleep. We'll see what the Earps are goin' to do tomorrow, if they decide to fight then we'll chase them right out of our town. If they decide to leave...Well, we'll just make sur they stay gone. How's Andy?"

"Out like a light," Ringo replied, "She forgave me."

"Ringo," Bill exclaimed in a half laugh, "You are one damned lucky man."

"You're tellin' me."


	15. Andy's Dream

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Tombstone or any of its characters. I own Amy/Andy, the Mexican police officer whose been 'haunting' Andy; Ted; Travis; Burney; and Ms. Rathers. I have no idea MacClennysville is a real place or not, I just came up with the name at the last minute, lol. "Ohana Means family" comes from the Disney movie, Lilo and Stitch.**_

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_The bright sunlight hit the top of her head as she walked through one of the wide streets of Tombstone. To her left the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday were sauntering past. They let her be. To her right, the Cowboys were sitting in front of a hotel with a gambling establishment, restaurant, and bar inside. Ringo was rocking back and forth on a white rocker; Bill was talking to Ike. As she walked towards the Cowboys they seemed to get farther and farther away. She took another step, the entire landscape moved away from her once again. She looked behind her and noticed it was the same, the Earps too were now miles away from her. Her heart pounded, she was alone._

_"Ringo!" Andy ran towards Ringo again, running as fast as she possibly could. But the faster she ran, the faster the landscape pulled away from her. Then, when she became exhausted, she finally stopped. It was then she heard a loud caw and looked up to find a large grow circling her. It landed before her, its wings still spread, its body began to stretch until it was taller than herself. She backed away in horror._

_The beak shrunk into the feathers, and slowly the feathers receded as well until Andy found herself staring into the dead Mexican police officer's eyes._

_"No...Please...I'm so sorry," she stammered._

_"You killed me, senorita," he had exclaimed, his voice echoing and gritty. His face revealed his anger; from his sparkling dark brown eyes, to large sneer on his lips. "I was married to my la bonita, Abril, and you took me from her. You killed me, senorita. Why?" He raised his open palms until they were lined with his elbows and shrugged, "What did I do to you that was so terrible? I did only my job."_

_"You pointed your gun at me..."_

_"Si, but I did not intend to kill one so young. My intention was to shoot you in the shoulder or leg. Nurse you back to health and show you the error of your ways. If you did not learn, then I would continue helping you until you ready to leave. I am not a bad man, Senorita Amy." He exclaimed, his voice filled with anger and sadness._

_"How do you know my name?"_

_"I am dead. Spirits know much about people, especially the person who killed them."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"Those words cannot bring me back to my family, senorita."_

_"I know...." _

_He paused, "What did I do? Why did you kill me? What did I do so awful?"_

_She bit her lip, "Nothing..."_

_"Then....Why?"_

_"I....It was what....What my family trained me to do....You killed a Cowboy..."_

_"NO! Was not me who killed a Cowboy, Senorita Amy! In that you are mistaken. It was the groom, however, there was no reason to shoot him or his bride for upholding the laws of justice. Are you blind you forget what justice, real justice, is? It is not riding around on horses like a pack of wild Banchee, wearing red sashes, and shooting everyone. Justice, is helping those in need, Senorita."_

_Andy glanced away, she agreed with that; however, she didn't agree with abandoning the Cowboys. She remembered a rich townsman traveling through the town she used to live in one night. He had gone to an exotic place, called Hawaii. He said a local townswoman had taught him a saying he would never forget, "Ohana means family. In family no one is left behind or forgotten." She understood that the Mexican man was trying to help her, for whatever reason she wasn't sure. She had killed him, so why would he even attempt to help her?_

_As if he had read her thoughts he stared at her and asked, "What of the people in the town where the Cowboys found you? MacClennysville, what of them? They loved you, Senortia, they cared for you. They gave you jobs when there were no others to be had. Townspeople who do not care for one another do not do that. What of them?"_

_"I..." Her heart skipped a beat. She had already forgotten of the town she called "home," only a few months ago. Faces began to flash back to her; Travis the jolly but tough barkeeper who always gave her the job of bringing in crates of beer when he could do it himself. Burney, the owner of the boarding house she had lived in; he had never asked questions and always took money off her rent. Ted, the protective blacksmith who been like an uncle to her. And of course, Ms. Rathers; everyone around town knew her 'occupation' to be a Mistress. But they also knew she had been a mother to Andy. she had taken Andy under her wing and provided 'him' with money when 'he' couldn't make ends meet. Out of all the townsfolk back at MacClennysville, she missed Travis and Ms. Rathers the most._

_"The look in your eyes tells me you know who your true familia is, senorita," the Mexican said softly. No longer was his face filled with anger, but sadness, "Do not make the mistake I made, Senorita. I joined the police for the wrong reason...For glory. You joined the Cowboys to have a familia, but you already had one and did not understand that at the time. Go back to them, Senorita Amy. They will be upset, but time brings forgiveness."_

_"Can....You forgive me?"_

_He paused, "I cannot, Senorita. Do you forgive Liberty Valance for taking your brother from you?"_

_Andy felt as if he had smacked her, she looked up her eyes filled with determination and anger, "Never."_

_"Then you understand why I cannot forgive you. You took me from my wife, from the baby she was carrying."_

_She nodded, "But also, Senor, you must understand as well....I am sorry for what I did, but I am not sorry for what I am about to do?"_

_"What is that?"_

_"Remain a Cowboy of course," she replied, "You touched me, you really did. But I can and never will go back, never. The people in MacClennysville were my family, yes. But...They were Andy's family. Not mine. Now me, Amy is about to be Amy Ringo. I have a family, my family. And I don't need to hide who I am from them ever again. Good bye, Senor, please never return to me again. I'm sorry that I killed you, I truly am, more sorry than words can ever express. However, I'm not sorry enough to be afraid of you and take every word of yours as law, so if you would excuse me...I'm going to wake up now."_

_He gave her a look of shock before she opened her eyes._

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The crickets were still buzzing their loud turn when Andy turned onto her side. She had woken from a nightmare with her heart pounding and her body coated in a cold sweat. Beside her, Ringo continued snoring. She sighed and stared at the side of the tent, she hadn't had a nightmare this bad since she killed the Mexican police officer. Sometimes the memory of shooting him returned to her, as it had the other day; but at other times it felt as if it had happened years ago instead of only a few months before.

"You awake?"

"Ringo?"

"No, the Boogey Man," he replied in light hearted sarcasm.

"Yes, I'm awake, Mr. Oogey Boogey."

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Just a dream that's helped me to forget Mexico; hopefully once and for all."

"What was the dream?"

Andy turned onto her other side so she was facing Ringo. His face revealed he was still half asleep; his dark eyes were half hidden by his droopy eyelids. Overall, he was an adorable sight; except for his mustache and goatee he reminded her of a little boy who fought against sleep as hard as he could.

"It's not a normal dream."

"Nothing about your dreams are normal," he smirked, "Tell me."

"After Liberty Valance killed my brother I ran from that town, Shinbone, and found myself in middle of an Indian village. I learned later that day the people were the Lakota, an older woman named Alijah took me in. Her husband was a Medicine Man; their son was around my age. The Medicine Man, Learning Bear, taught me how to survive off the land; he and his wife both told me stories of their cultures' beliefs. One of their beliefs is the Crow. Crows are omens of death, but also - according to some legends - they help those who were killed get justice so they can move on."

"Interestin' story."

"Very, when Learning Bear and Alijah both told me of it I thought of it as just another story....But then after I shot that man-"

"What have Bill and I told you about that?"  
"I know, not to think of it. And I don't Ringo," she replied truthfully, "But...Every now and then his face, mainly his eyes, reappear in my memories quickly or in my dreams. When Liberty shot me..." She flashed back to the moment she fell to the ground. Her heart began to beat faster as the memory returned. "And I fell...I found myself staring right into that Mexican man's eyes, only he was still alive a little.....And....He was trying to say something, but I passed out before he could."

"Andy....You are going to drive yourself into insanity thinkin' of him! Damn it, you have got to stop!" Ringo stared at her, his face was showing annoyance while his eyes revealed concern.

"After I tell you about my nightmare, it will be the last time I talk about him. I swear. Because, I can promise you I will never mention him again. Ever. I'll have no reason too."

"Alright, then tell me about the dream."


End file.
